Rodeo
by Jameson Rook
Summary: "It's the broncs and the blood, the steers and the mud, and they call the thing rodeo." Rated M for eventual smut
1. Chapter 1

_** I'm not going to go into intricate detail as to the "how" of the birth of this fic idea but I will tell you that it was interesting :) I am going to dedicate this fic (which will in fact be a multichapter) to KB-RC23, 4evercaskett, and StanaTorv, because who would I be without my 'precinct gang'? :D**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and its character belongs to ABC and Andrew W. Marlowe. "Cowboy Casanova" belongs to Carrie Underwood.**_

_** P.S. Virtual cookie to anyone that picks up on the 'Fight Club' reference. (That's my all time favorite movie, I couldn't resist)**_

_** You better take it from me,**_

_** That boy is like a disease.**_

_** You run and you try, and you're trying to hide, **_

_** Wondering why you can't get free.**_

_** He's like a curse, he's like a drug.**_

_** You'll get addicted to his love.**_

_** You wanna get out,**_

_** But he's holding you down,**_

_** Cause you can't live without one more touch...**_

__Kate sat idly at the bar, watching the condensation dripping down the side of her beer and sliding onto the polished oak under it. She had just flown into El Paso that day and after the long flight she had needed a moment to unwind. The small country western bar that was two blocks from her hotel had seemed like the perfect getaway from the plagues of her big city lifestyle.

A jukebox in the corner of the dusty bar played a static-laden version of Merle Haggard quietly, while broken down, sun-beaten cowboys were hunched over the two tattered pool tables. Everything about the bar screamed wild, wild west, and Kate couldn't be more content with it if she tried.

The sports magazine that she worked for had sent her here as a 'probationary story' to cover the PBR world finals. When her boss had told her where she would be going and what she would be covering she couldn't help the distaste that had flitted across her face.

"Really, Montgomery? Bull riding?" He had simply smiled at her and handed her the plane tickets when she had asked that question. And that was why she was sitting in 'Lou's Tavern' now, surrounded by stale beer and cigarette smoke.

Across the room, the door to the tavern swung open again, but she did not look up until she heard the new patrons begin yelling to the entire bar.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your next world champion bull rider has arrived!" A tan, stocky man in a cream colored Stetson, and a brown duster jacket hollered, cupping his hands around his mouth. A younger looking, blonde man in what she could only describe as an...interesting vest opened the other door.

A tall, gruff man walked in, his black Stetson pulled down low over his face, but an impish grin was spread across his handsome face nonetheless. He removed his cowboy hat and Kate's heart nearly stopped beating in her chest when their gazes met across the crowded bar.

_**He's a good time, Cowboy Casanova,**_

_** Leaning up against the record machine.**_

_** Looks like a cool drink of water,**_

_** But he's candy coated misery.**_

_** He's the devil in disguise,**_

_** A snake with blue eyes,**_

_** And he only comes out at night.**_

_** Gives you feelings that you don't wanna fight,**_

_** You better run for your life.**_

__"Thanks, Esposito." He patted the tan man on the back before doing the same to the other man. "You too, Ryan." He moved towards the bar with an ease that seemed second nature, his hips swaying seductively in the faded Wranglers which were slung low across his taut hips. The black, longsleeved dress shirt that was stretched across the broad expanse of his muscular back and chest moved effortlessly with him, the fabric clinging to his skin. He took a seat on the bar stool next to hers and motioned for the bar tender to bring him a beer before turning to face her. "Well, hello there. You must be new in town?" He set his hat on the bar nonchalantly and shifted to get closer to her, his knee brushing hers and sending electric thrills through her body.

"You could say that." She took a long drink of her beer and tried to quell the jumpy, giddiness that had sprung up in her chest. "I'm here to cover the championships for the '12th Times' magazine in New York. Kate Beckett." She extended her hand to him, which he took in his and brushed his lips over her knuckles.

"Richard Castle." His low, resonating voice was suddenly directly next to her ear. "You can call me Rick, Kate. Would you care to dance?"

"I don't dance, Mister Castle." She said, though her tone was laced with a playfulness that she didn't know she possessed.

"We'll see about that, Miss Beckett." He took her hand and pulled her towards the vacant dance floor. Rick spun her away from him before whipping her back into his body, their hips pressed flush against one another with no space between them. His feet moved with an understated elegance that spoke volumes toward her theory of him being much more than simply a bull rider.

"You move pretty well, Rick." She noted out loud as he spun her once around the wood floor.

"I like to think so, Kate." He murmured into her ear, his breath warm and wet against her skin causing her to shudder. Kate let her thigh slip in between his legs and brushed it upward lightly. Rick groaned against her skin. "That's not fair." He growled.

"Oh?" She asked, shocking herself with the boldness of her previous action. Kate Beckett did not try to hook up with men ten minutes after meeting them...what was going on with her? "I hadn't noticed." She grinned and repeated the action, drawing another groan from him. He spun her away from him for a moment, and pulled her back against him, his nose brushing against the skin of her throat.

"Let's get out of here, Kate." He murmured, his lips brushing the side of her neck. She fisted her hands in his shirt and shuddered against him. The only response she could muster was a stuttering nod. He clutched her hand in his and led her through the crowd, out the door and into the cooling night air. They crossed the parking lot until they came up to a large black Chevy Silverado with tires like Kate had never seen in her life. "Your chariot awaits, Miss Beckett." He extended his hand and helped her into the truck.

Rick climbed into the other side of the pick up, slamming the door behind him and throwing gravel up as he tore out of the parking lot. They drove a few miles in silence as Kate tried to keep her wits about her, that is until Rick reached across the bench seat and pulled her flush against him.

He tucked her underneath his arm, the heat rolling off his body somehow a comfort to Kate. He let his fingers glide up the inside of her thigh, lifting her mini skirt until he could see the red lace panties that she had put on that morning. He massaged the ivory skin beside them gently before moving higher.

"I now remember why it is that teenagers are so fond of bench seat pick ups." Kate moaned when his finger slid inside her heat. She gripped his forearm so hard that she was sure there would be bruises the next morning. He simply chuckled low in his throat and swung the truck into a spacious house surrounded by fencing. He hooked his arms underneath her legs and back after he hopped out, his black cowboy boots somehow hitting the ground soundlessly. He stopped once he had the truck door closed and gazed into her eyes before brushing his lips against hers.

Kate knew it was a stupid thought, but when he kissed her she almost swore that she felt a spark shoot between their lips. He sighed when they parted and rested his head against her forehead.

"I don't know what it is about you, Katherine Beckett, but I feel like I've known you for a lifetime."

"I know the feeling, Castle." She smirked, her hands fisted in his shirt.

"I plan on making tonight an evening that you won't soon forget."

"Well, you have to understand that I'm a city girl, Rick. We're not like these rodeo circut women. We expect more than an eight second ride. Think you can deliver?" She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"I'll even let you hold the stop watch."

The next thing Kate knew sunlight was streaming in through unfamiliar curtains, the bed that she expected to be occupied by a large warm body was empty, and her phone was screaming at her.

"Beckett." She answered groggily.

"You are the luckiest woman alive."

"Good morning to you too, Lanie. Now why am I the luckiest woman alive?" She groaned as she threw the sheet back and sat up.

"Didn't Montgomery call you and tell you what the story is you're covering?" Her best friend and coworker sounded confused.

"Not anything specific, why?"

"You're going to be doing an intimate profile on last years champion. Only one of the _sexiest_ men in the bull riding circuit." Lanie chuckled, Kate wracked her brain to try and put a face to the title.

"Who's that?"

"Seriously? Geeze, you do need to get out more. His name is Rick Castle." Kate felt her jaw hit the bed as the phone slipped from her grasp. "Kate?" Lanie's muffled voice called from the bed spread.

Shit.

_**Reviews will fuel more chapters! :D Let me know what y'all think!**_


	2. Chapter 2: Country Man

_**You guys are the greatest. The response to the last chapter was more then I ever imagined! So, thank you all very, very much! I plan on making this into (hopefully) something like a novel.**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle belongs to ABC and Andrew W. Marlowe. "Country Man" belongs to Luke Bryan. **_

_** You need hands, rough not soft,**_

_** To come and warm you up up in that cold hay loft.**_

_** Let me hold you little darling in my big strong arms,**_

_** Can't get these kind of muscles anywhere but a farm.**_

_** Hey, I'm a country man,**_

_** A city boy can't do the things I can.**_

_** I can grow my own groceries, and plow up your land.**_

_** Hey baby, I'm a country man.**_

__"Kate? Are you okay?" Lanie's muffled voice floated through the ear piece again as she shakily lifted it to her ear.

"Lanie, I'm gonna have to call you back." Lanie was protesting when Kate clapped her phone shut and pushed herself out of the bed. She searched the floor for her clothes, finding them strewn about the spacious bedroom floor. Her face flushed as she recalled the events of the night before. She slipped into her clothing and pulled her hair into a quick bun before venturing out into the house.

The living room was enormous, black plush carpeting spread from one pine wood wall to the other. A stone fireplace was set back into the wall, a black iron gate in front of it. She ran her fingers lightly over the black suede couch and recliner as she made her way into the kitchen.

On the black granite counter top was a plate with pancakes, bacon, and eggs and a mug of coffee beside it. She smiled, despite her better senses, and lifted the note that lay beside them.

_Kate,_

_ Good morning, I hope you slept well. Made you breakfast, we'll be out in the corral if you want to come find us when you're finished._

_ RC_

She took a bite of the eggs and moaned quietly. The man could cook, she'd give him that. Well, that, and she had to give him credit for knowing his way around a matress. She felt a chill flow through her body again as she quickly ate the breakfast he prepared for her, realizing that she was starving. She swallowed down the last of the coffee in her cup before crossing to the window that over looked the ranch.

The rolling pastures were a sight to behold, the green of the grass mingling ever so gently with the beautiful blue hue of the morning sky. She pushed open the screen door and stepped onto the wrap around porch, inhaling the fresh air.

She jumped at the sound of a whip cracking somewhere to the right of the house. Kate cautiously walked around the edge of the house until she saw a large fenced in corral that had men crowded all around it, leaning their boot clad feet on the fence.

"Hiya!" A deep voice boomed over the sounds of the other men. Another whip crack in the early morning sun. She watched the long, slender strap of leather curl in a tight swirl in the air before striking downward and connecting with the ground just beside the hooves of a dark chestnut colored horse that was bucking wildly around the corral.

As she got closer, she saw the the man in the middle of the action was in fact Rick. He looked absolutely stunning in tight fitted jeans much like the ones from the night before, a dark blue button down shirt, and a different cowboy hat, this one was a deep mocha color. He had a riding crop attatched to his hip, and the spurs that were attatched to his boots clicked as he shifted, following the mustangs wild movements.

Seemingly out of nowhere, the horse almost completely stopped, a loud snort rippling through his muscular body. Rick laid a hand on the animals head, just over his nose, and stroked the creature's fur.

"There's a good boy." He murmured, laying his forehead on the horse's. He ran his fingers through his mane, his fingertips massaging its neck as he went, and continued to murmur soothing words against its skin. She was in awe at the ease with which he spoke to the animal. It was like it was what the man was born to do.

_**I've got a jeep with camoflage seats,**_

_** That way nobody sees us parked back up in these trees.**_

_** Your little iPod's loaded down with Hoobastank,**_

_** Don't be a tape player hater, girl we're groovin' to Hank.**_

_** Hey, I'm a country man,**_

_** A city boy can't do the things I can.**_

_** I can grow my own groceries, and plow up your land.**_

_** Hey baby, I'm a country man.**_

__Kate moved to the side as the men that were previously crowded around the corral moved toward the main house. Two of them she recognized as the men from the bar the night before, Ryan and Esposito as she remembered. She stepped forward and hoisted herself up to sit on the top rail of the corral fence.

"Well, good morning there, Miss Beckett. Did you sleep well?" Rick squinted against the harsh sunlight, but the blue of his eyes still burned into her soul nonetheless.

"Incredibly so." She stretched slightly, all the tension from her phone call with Lanie draining from her body. "So, Mister Castle, any bigs plans for today?"

"Well," He chewed on a piece of beef jerky thoughtfully as he came closer to her, leaning his chin on her knees. "I have a couple more mustangs to break in this morning, the qualifying run for the championships ain't until tomorrow night so I have the night free. Oh, and I have an interview thing with some hot shot reporter after lunch." And just like that the tension that she had gotten rid of was back.

"Yeah," She toyed with a lock of unruly hair that peeked out from underneath his hat. "About that. I...uh, well, you see, Rick...the 'hot shot reporter' as you so eloquently put it, is me." Rick's eyes flitted up to meet her gaze.

"You know, when my my agent told me I'd be doing an 'intimate profile' with a magazine reporter I had _no idea_ this is what she meant." He chuckled low in his throat and leaned up to brush a kiss against her lips softly. Kate pulled back and attempted to level a glare at him, but something about that man made it impossible to be angry at him, joking or otherwise. "Does that mean we have until you leave bto do this interview?" Kate nodded slowly. "Awesome. Ryan, you and Espo go pack up gear for an overnight ride and pull the horses around. Bring Nikki out for Kate to ride." The two men nodded and scurried off to do as their boss had asked of them.

"Overnight ride?" Kate asked cautiously. She hadn't been on a horse since she was about six and her mother had taken her to horseback riding lessons.

"Come with me." Rick reached down and intertwined their fingers as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and what alarmed Kate more then anything was the fact that it felt that way. They ducked into the spacious barn on the otherside of the corral and Rick led her to a wall covered in dusty cowboy hats. He stared at it a moment before plucking a smaller, gray hat off the wall and plopped it onto Kate's head. He adjusted her hair carefully before rocking back on his heels to examine her. "Perfect." He said with a low whistle.

"I don't wear hats." Kate crinkled her face up and glanced at the hat with distaste.

"Everyone in my outfit wears hats. Don't want anyone passing out from heat stroke. And it suits you." She quirked an eyebrow. "The hat. Not many people find a perfect hat the first try. You have a gift." He grinned at her, a broad smile that had her linking her hands around the back of his neck, removing their hats and pulling him close to her.

Their lips molded together with a white hot passion that Kate couldn't remember ever feeling from a kiss in her life. Her hands dipped low into the collar of his shirt before skating down the front of it and opening the buttons with a speed she hadn't known she possesed. Pulling away from his lips, she pressed hot open mouthed kisses down his chest, admiring the dark tanned skin reverently. He groaned, his hand fisted in her hair.

"Kate, not here." She pouted at him, but all protest left her when he led her towards a tower of hay bails on the far side of the barn. He pressed her back against it and rocked his hips against her as he kissed her again, his arousal pressing firmly into her stomach. "God, woman, you're going to be the death of me." He moaned as she shoved both of their pants lower on their legs and began working him with her hand.

"No more talking." She sighed, nipping his ear lobes. His hips bucked into her hand when her teeth connected with his skin. He pushed her hand away, unable to wait any longer, and thrust into her in one smooth motion. They both stilled for a moment, moaning at the completetion that they both felt but refused to address. When she adjusted he began pounding in and out of her, the friction so delicious that Kate had to sinking her teeth into her own knuckles to keep from screaming. She felt the prickle of hay poking into her back through her shirt but couldn't find the will to care.

He ran his calloused palm over her breast under her shirt, his fingers tightening over her taut nipple and she groaned loudly, thrusting her hips forward of their own volition. His shaky hand trailed a scorching path down her stomach and flitted to where they were joing, beginning a steady circular rhythm on her clit. She nearly screamed once again, and chose to move her mouth from her own knuckles to his shoulder.

Rick felt her begin to clench around him, and let his own rhythm stutter as she let go aroud him and he emptied himself into her.

He slowed to a stop as they both came down from their orgasms, breathing hot and wet breath against each other's skin.

"Hey, boss, we got everything ready!" Ryan's voice came from the door of the barn. Rick saw the man squinting in the sunlight.

"We'll be right out, Ry. Thank you." His voice was still scratchy with desire, though he had let Kate slide to the floor while they both frantically dressed. "Barn sex, why Katherine Beckett, I never." He gave her a jokingly disapproving look as they dressed. He reached out and pulled a piece of straw from her hair and chuckled.

"Yes, well, what can I say, Ricky?" She stepped closer and pressed her lips against his ear. "The sight of you in those damn jeans," She smacked his ass lightly to emphasize her point. "A cowboy hat, and this shirt, holding a riding crop got the better of me I guess." She buttoned her jeans and sauntered around him, dodging his attempt at a kiss and leaving him slacked jawed, buttoning his own pants and adjusting his hat. "Come on, Rick." She grinned, crooking her finger in a 'come-hither' motion and ran from the barn.

"The death of me. I swear." He muttered under his breath as he followed her into the sunlight and prepared himself for what he was sure was going to be a very interesting overnight.

_**You like the Ivy league, Humvee, tennis sweater types,**_

_** But girl I'm here to tell you, don't believe the hype.**_

_** Hey, I'm a country man,**_

_** I can wrestle hogs and gators with my two bare hands.**_

_** Girl you better move quick, I'm in high demand.**_

_** Hey, baby I'm a country man.**_

_** Hey, I'm a country man,**_

_** Huntin' me a good old country girlfriend,**_

_** Why don't you come and join me in my new deer stand?**_

_** Hey, I'm a country man.**_


	3. Chapter 3: Cowboy Take Me Away

_** I had planned on having this update out of Thursday, but a little illness mishap sort of put a damper on that plan. Anywho, here is chapter three in the **__**Rodeo**__** series.**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and all of its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC. "Cowboy Take Me Away" belongs to The Dixie Chicks.**_

_** I said I wanna touch the Earth,**_

_** I wanna break it in my hands. **_

_** I wanna grow something wild and unruly.**_

_** I wanna sleep on the hard ground in the comfort of your arms,**_

_** On a pillow of Blue Bonnets, in a blanket made of stars.**_

_** Oh, it sounds good to me.**_

__Kate had no way of determining how long the group of them had been riding when they crested the ridge that served as the backdrop to Rick's ranch. She had spent the better part of the ride with her eyes fixated intently on the ease with which Rick moved atop his stallion. His hips adjusted slightly with every movement of the animal under him. She watched his thighs clenched ligtly around the horse's torso to keep himself balanced.

Her eyes drifted to the ivory handle of the revolver that he had strapped into the holster on his hip. Perched atop the horse, with his hat pulled low over his eyes, he reminded Kate of something pulled straight from a Clint Eastwood movie.

"I think we will stop here for the night." Esposito's voice broke her from her admiration. She glanced up to the sky and saw the coral sunset painting the horizon. Ryan, Esposito and Rick hopped off of their horses, but before Kate could follow suit Rick's hands were at her waist to help her safely to the ground.

"How'd you enjoy the view?" He asked with an impish grin, his chest pressed against hers.

"I'm sorry?" She stammered, pretending to have no clue what he was talking about.

"Oh, come now, Miss Beckett. I may have been born at night, but it sure wasn't last night. You've been eyeing my backside since we left the barn." His voice was low and harsh in her ear, his lips grazing the soft skin just below it.

"Oh? And what makes you so sure?" She decided to play along with the little game, running her fingers under the hem of his shirt. His muscles tensed under her fingers.

"Because," He sucked in a breath to try and calm himself. "I could feel your eyes on me, watching my every move. It was _very_ obvious." His grin turned into something of a shark smile. "Don't get me wrong, it's also very sexy. Knowing how much you want me. I could almost see your eyes going all smoky green like they do when you come. That's the most beautiful color I've ever seen." Kate felt a coil of heat curl deep in her stomach when he spoke, his indigo eyes searching hers for a reaction.

"I need," She paused and stepped back, attempting to put space in between them. "To take a walk." She announced, grabbing her bag that she had gone to her hotel to grab. It contained her toiletries, a change of clothes, her cell phone and her digital camera.

"Well, Miss Beckett, if you're interested there's a swimming hole through the trees a ways." Ryan said as he tied his horse as well as Esposito's to a tree. "I'd be happy to show you to it if you'd like?"

"No, thank you any way Ryan, I'm sure I can find it. I'll be back in a while."

"Kate," Rick said, his large hand encircling her wrist. She turned slightly, a blush creeping up her neck as she looked at him. "Take this flashlight, and be careful. No telling what's in these woods at night." His face conveyed a genuine concern that both touched and terrified her.

She muttered her thanks before she tore off into the woods. The imending sunset had bathed the forest floor in a surreal amber glow as she walked. Leaves and twigs crunched under her feet as she moved, not quite sure of a definite direction. To the left of her a squirrel scurried up a tree, it's mouth stuffed full of acorns, and she couldn't help but smile at the little critter.

However, internally she was quite the opposite of the smile that was on her face. Her emotions were turbulent and tumultuous. She had slept with Richard Castle. Multiple times. It had been a personal mark of hers that she never had intimate relationships with the men that she did her articles on. After her mother's passing a few years prior, and her father's following alcoholism, the last thing that she wanted was another person that would hurt her after she got attatched.

Before she knew what happened she was standing in front of a crystaline pond with a small waterfall splashing into it. Her breath whoosed from her lungs at the sheer beauty of it. Glancing around she found that she was completely alone and slipped out of her clothes.

She dove head first, letting the water wash over her body, the dirt from the day sliding off. When Kate surfaced she took a deep breath and swam toward the waterfall. When she reached the small fall, she stood on a submerged rock, dipping her head back into the stream of the water. The fall sluiced down her tanned skin, the cool water allowing the insanity that had seemed to invade her life in such a short period of time. An insanity that had stunning blue eyes, and gorgeous brown hair, and sun-kissed skin. She was pulled from her peaceful silence by a sharp intake of breath from the shore. Her eyes snapped open and met a set of hazy blue ones.

_**Cowboy, take me away.**_

_** Fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue.**_

_** Set me free, oh I pray,**_

_** Closer to Heaven above,**_

_** And closer to you.**_

_** Closer to you.**_

__"Rick," She breathed, her hands fluttering to cover herself. His eyes were almost black, his pupils blown wide with desire, and she noticed that there was a prominent bulge in his tight jeans.

"I," He gulped audibly. "I came to make sure you were okay. I, uh..." He stumbled over his words as she slid back into the water, a sudden sense of empowerment coming over her. She snaked her hand out of the water and beckoned him to come in. He quickly stripped himself of his clothes and sloshed over to her, treading water a few feet from her. "Hey." He whispered, slicking back his hair before snaking his hand around her waist and dragging her against him. Their long legs twined together underneath the icy water.

His lips were hot against hers, a drastic contrast to the coolness of the night. Kate moaned into his mouth as his tongue snaked over her bottom lip, begging for enterance. Her hands were fierce as they grabbed his biceps, clutching onto him like he was the only thing keeping her grounded.

Rick pressed his hips against hers, his hardness obvious with nothing but the water seperating them. She gasped when his hand slid down over her chest and rolled one of her hard nipples before moving down to wrap her legs around his waist. He moved backwards until her back connected with the rocks next to the waterfall. She let out a growl that neither of them could decide if it was from pain or pleasure, but it did not deter Rick from thrusting into her in one fluid motion. They sighed in unison at the feeling of completion that came with him filling her.

He pulled himself back out and then slammed back into her. Her nails dug into his shoulders, drawing out half cresent drops of blood. Kate moaned loudly into the crook of his neck, running her tongue over his pulse point, the scrapes that were digging into the ivory flesh of her back completely forgotten.

For a moment in time, the entire world moved and breathed and revolved around the two of their bodies that were joined in the spray of the waterfall.

_**I wanna walk and not run,**_

_** I wanna skip and not fall,**_

_** I wanna look at the horizon and not see a building standing tall,**_

_** I wanna be the only one for miles and miles,**_

_** Except for maybe you and your simple smile.**_

_** Oh, it sounds good to me.**_

_** Cowboy, take me away.**_

_** Fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue.**_

_** Set me free, oh I pray,**_

_** Closer to Heaven above and closer to you.**_

_** Closer to you.**_

__Rick's breath was ragged against Kate's ear as he thrusted into her, their heart beats setting a rhythm that only they knew. Her soft sighs of 'oh', 'harder', and 'more, please' were lost in the primal growls that tore from his throat. A tingling began to curl from his toes and pooled in his groin when he felt Kate beginning to clench around him.

"Rick, I, ah," She moaned, thrusting her hips down to meet his. "I'm going to come." She sighed into his wet hair.

"It's okay, Kate. I've got you." He growled, beginning to come unraveled himself. "Let go." A few thrusts later the world exploded around both of them, stars falling behind their closed eye lids and each other's names falling from their lips.

Rick pressed a sloppy kiss against Kate's mouth before trailing his lips down her shoulder and grinning against the cool, wet skin.

"Woman, I've never become this infatuated with a woman so completely and so quickly in my life." He kissed her collarbone. "You're extraordinary." He whispered into the still night. Somewhere between him undressing and them losing themselves in one another, the sun had set and a large yellow moon had crested the horizon, casting a marvelous reflections over the water.

"You're not so bad yourself, Castle." She grinned, biting her thumbnail absently. He feathered a kiss to the inside of her wrist, drawing another chuckle from her. The moment of passionate afterglow, however, was shattered by an ear splitting sound somewhere near the edge of the pond. "What the hell was that?" She asked, clutching him closer to her. Rick turned his head to face the edge of the water, and Kate felt him tighten his arms around her.

"Kate, I want you to stay very, very still. Do you understand?" He whispered, moving her so that her back was against the rocks and her chest was flush against his back. His eyes remained trained on the shore, watching something pace back and forth. Kate could vaguely make out a yellowish glow in the moonlight.

"Rick, what's happening?" She whispered, her chin on his shoulder and her mouth level with his ear. The noise cracked through the silence again, causing a chill to run through Kate's body at the sheer intensity of the noise.

"Mountian Lion."

_***Dr. Horrible laughter* Yes. I did make a Cougar stalk them from the shore. Why, you ask? Because I am horrible :) Please review, reviews will fuel a faster chapter four. Can't leave them stranded in the water being watched by a Mountain Lion now can we?**_


	4. Chapter 4: Hero of War

_**Thanks to all of you wonderful reviewers this has officially become my most-reviewed, most-favorite, most-followed fic on my roster. Thank you all so much! You're the greatest! **_

_** This chapter is dedicated to willowmorrgainne1213 who's flattery apparently did, in fact, fuel the fire underneath this chapter's backside, so to speak. **_

_** Without further adu, here is chapter four!**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and its characters belongs to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC. "Hero of War" belongs to Rise Against.**_

_** Additional A/N: If you guys have never heard a mountain lion roar, I suggest looking up an audio clip. It's bone chilling. Especially if you're cougar hunting and it's stormy out...*shudders*. You can also follow me on Twitter: lyoung_09**_

_** He said "Son, have you seen the world?**_

_** What would you say if I said that you could?**_

_** Just carry this gun, you'll even get paid."**_

_** I said, "That sounds pretty good."**_

_** Black leather boots, spit-shined so bright,**_

_** They cut off my hair, but it looked alright.**_

_** We marched, and we sang,**_

_** We all became friends as we learned how to fight.**_

_** A hero of war, yeah that's what all be.**_

_** And when I get home they'll be damn proud of me.**_

_** I'll carry this flag to the grave if I must, **_

_** Cause it's a flag that I love, a flag that I trust.**_

__"Kate, I need you to do exactly as I say. Understand?" She managed a nod in response as she watched the animal pace the shore, growls emphasizing each of its steps. "I'm going to get to my jeans, that's where my gun and knife are. You're going to climb up that ridge behind you and start making your way back towards camp and get the boys. _Slowly._" His eyes never left the cat when he spoke to her, but his hand brushing across her arm reassured her.

"Rick, you'll never make it over there in time. That thing will kill you in a heartbeat." She whispered, smacking his back lightly for suggesting such a thing.

"Kate, you said you understood." He growled, taking a step away from her. "Now, go." Kate turned away reluctantly and began slowly making her way up the rocks. They were slippery with moss and spray from the waterfall, but she managed to keep her footing until she got to the top.

Once she reached the peak of the waterfall she was helplessly entranced by Rick's movement through the water towards the big cat. He moved with an unspoken elegance, his muscles ridged under his skin, much like the cougar that watched his every move.

Kate's breath caught in her throat when the cat growled again and swiped his massive paw towards Rick's chest. He evaded quickly and moved to the side of the animal, grabbing a rock from the shore and hurling it onto the cougar's nose.

The 'thud' that the stone hitting the animal's nose created was enough to break her from her trance and she tore off down the hill towards the camp, Rick's warning of 'slowly' completely flushing from her mind. On the shore, the cat silently turned and began a slow jog that turned into a full on sprint directly at her.

"KATE!" Rick bellowed, diving for his jeans. He lifted them quickly, searching for his gun. A curse escaped his lips when he came up empty handed, and he resorted to bolting after them, hunting knife in hand.

Kate sprinted towards the camp, the animal hot on her heels. She bit back a scream when she heard the audible snap near her calf and felt the creature's fetid breath on her skin.

"RYAN! ESPOSITO! HELP!" She roared as she tore through the tree line and found the men staring at her dumbfounded. A large fire burned in between them and she sprinted around it and hid behind the men. Esposito drew his pistol from his hip and fired a round that connected with the cat's paw. The lion roared loudly, blood staining its cream colored flesh, but did not back away. Instead it hunched over, poised to pounce at the closest object which happened to be Ryan. The Irishman's eyes doubled in size before slamming shut when the cat launched off of its muscular hind legs.

He stood, shaking wildly, for a moment before he realized that the impact he had been expecting never happened. He let his eyes open and found Rick, chest heaving, with his knife buried to the hilt in the base of the cat's skull. He wiped the blood from his palm on the animals fur and stood slowly, glancing around the camp.

"Everyone okay?" He asked, his tone low and a bit shaky from the adrenaline of the situation.

"Yeah, we're good. Uh...boss?" Ryan replied, quirking an eye brow at the two of them. "How come y'all are _naked_ in the first place?" He grinned knowingly.

"Well, you see, bro, when two people develope certain feelings for one another-."

"Finish that scentence, Esposito, and you will spend the rest of the evening fishing you belongings off the bottom of the swimming hole." Rick's voice was sharp and tinged with warning. Esposito and Ryan sobered immediately and looked away from their two nude friends to grab towels out of the saddle bags.

"Sorry, Sarg." Esposito muttered under his breath. Kate saw Rick give him a nod and a pat on the back before running the towel over his shaggy, wet hair.

"For you, milady." Ryan handed Kate the towel with a dramatic curtsy, which earned him an eye roll and a chuckle.

The two of them dried off and Kate dressed in the tent quickly before joining the men around the fire. She extended her hands in front of her and rubbed them together, trying to shake the fear from her near death encounter. Rick's hand on her back startled her, causing her to jump. His blue eyes gazed into hers with an understanding and he scooted closer to her on the log that they had placed near the fire to serve as a bench.

"Are you okay?" His voice was rough, his lips pressed directly against her ear.

"I...yeah, no, I'm fine." She tried, nodding a little to eagerly. He gave her a look that said he wasn't buying it, and she heaved a sigh. "I'm a little shaken up. Never been chased by a mountain lion before." She faked a laughed and he snaked his arm around her waist, squeezing her lightly.

"Nothing's going to happen to you, Kate." He murmured into her hair. "Not as long as I'm breathing." She wasn't quite sure what to say to that. This man that she had only known for barely twenty-four hours had just saved her from a mountain lion and they were now cuddled on a log in front of a campfire, underneath the most beautiful blanket of stars she'd ever seen.

"Thank you." He gave her a confused glance. "For saving me." Rick's eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled that radiant smile of his.

"Always." Kate felt her stomach flutter and wondered why such a simple word felt like it should mean so much to her.

The next few hours were spent laughing and joking about stories from days gone by, and the boy's younger years together.

"Oh, God!" Kate laughed loudly when Ryan finished telling a story about the time that Rick had "borrowed" a police horse...while nude.

"Yeah, I'm beginning to think the Sarg likes to be naked in front of us." Esposito snorted a laugh as he tried to finish the story.

"You shoulda seen 'im, Kate!" Ryan interjected, arms crossed over his stomach in hysterics. "Naked as a jay bird, riding through Times Square, riding a police horse backwards! The cops couldn't stop laughing when the cuffed him and brought him down to the station."

"Yeah, yeah, yuck it up, but remember that you two chuckle heads did nothing to stop me! You know I don't handle tequila well. Those hand margaritas were a _terrible_ idea. Needless to say, I don't take Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumbass over there to New York City anymore." He hooked a thumb to where Ryan and Esposito had tears streaming down their faces from laughter.

Kate tried to contain herself, but the laughter erupted through her clench lips before she could stop it. Rick simply stood, a smirk plastered on his face, and doused the fire.

"Hey! Come on, boss! It ain't time for bed yet, is it?" Ryan whined, standing all the same and helping Esposito to his feet.

"I expect you two up a crack of dawn to get breakfast ready. Consider it payment for your 'thrilling heroic' act earlier." He leveled a playful glare at the both of them as the grudingly said their good nights and made their way into the farther of the two tents.

Rick extended his hand to Kate and pulled her off of the log and into his arms. The moonlight shone over his skin enough to illuminate his face when she gazed into his sapphire eyes. He tensed briefly when she raised her hand to the scar that marred his skin directly above his right eye.

"What's this from?" She asked softly.

"Bar fight." He replied, tightening his arms around her waist to pull her closer. "Guy was making fun of good friends of mind, and I didn't like it. Swung a broken beer bottle at my friend and I stepped in. Rather me have the stitches then either of them."

"Ryan and Esposito?" She guessed. Rick nodded in reply.

"Some people can be more ignorant than I expect. Especially around here." He grimaced, his eyes seeming to be far away. She pulled him back in by trailing her fingers over a jagged scar on his left forearm.

"This one?"

"Dog bite when I was a kid. My friend's German Shepherd. My fault though, I should've knocked instead of barging in." Kate nodded and slid her hand under his shirt towards the scar that she was actual curious about. The raised, jagged line trailed from just below his right shoulder blade to the front of his left hip.

"And this?" She asked quietly. His eyes misted over once again and she felt him tense. "You can talk to me, Rick." He nestled his chin on the top of her head.

"Saving Esposito's life."

_**I kicked in the door, I yelled my commands.**_

_** The children, they cried, but I got my man.**_

_** We took him away, a bag over his face,**_

_** From his family and his friends.**_

_** They took off his clothes, they pissed in his hands.**_

_** I told them to stop, but then I joined in.**_

_** We beat him with guns and batons, not just once, **_

_** But again and again.**_

_** A hero of war, yeah that's what I'll be.**_

_** And when I get home, they'll be damn proud of me.**_

_** I'll carry this flag to the grave, if I must,**_

_** Cause it's a flag that I love, a flag that I trust.**_

__"Siberia. Seven years ago, before I joined the rodeo circuit, I was in the Navy. SEAL team one-sixty-two. We were sent on a mission into Russia to check the status of their nuclear weaponry." He chuckled sadly. "We were hundreds of miles inside a country we were never supposed to be in on a mission that didn't exist. Our command center didn't want us to have outside communications because it risked the Russian satellites picking up on us. We were running blind through a blizzard." His eyes had clouded over and Kate knew he was no longer with her. He was in Russia next to his brothers fighting for his life.

"I was fresh out of Coronado when Chief said we'd been deployed on a mission. I was excited, I remember."

_The snow whipped wildly around the men, dressed in white camouflage. The bone chilling cold seeped in through the government issue jacket, and bit Castle's skin. The wind and snow also crept through the baklava that covered his face up to his eyes and he could no longer feel his nose._

_ His back was pressed against the building as they closed in on the hangar door. His hand was resting solidly on the cold, black metal of his gun as he peeked around the corner into the building. The room was empty, save for a desk littered in papers and a lamp. Castle motioned for the rest of his team to follow and they entered the hangar, each of them scanning one area of the room._

_ When they had cleared it, Castle led them into the expansive, cavernous room that served as the main hangar. In the middle of the room was a black object that made Castle's jaw drop at the sheer enormity of it. Sure he'd seen photos of the bombs from Nagasaki and Hiroshima in high school, but they were nothing compared to the real thing. _

_ Simmons, the technology specialist for the team, pulled the silver Nikon digital camera out of his pocket and began snapping photos of the nuke. _

_Castle's breath caught in his throat when he heard heavy boots coming down the hallway, thick Russian accents following them._

_"I thought command said the compound was vacant?" Castle hissed. Simmons shrugged, concern painted on his face. The men bolted to the large gun locker on the west side of the room and crowded into it, shutting the doors quietly behind them. _

_Castle peered out through the slits in the door and watched eight Russian guards crowd around the nuke, talking to one another and laughing. One of the men stepped to the side for a moment and lit up a cigarette, the pillars of smoke escaping his lips like some sort of vicious serpent. _

_Castle glanced over in time to see Simmons' boot graze the Dragunov sniper rifle in the corner of the locker, and he watched the gun fall towards the door with wide eyes. The two metals connected and crashed loudly._

_Castle closed his eyes dejectedly for an instant and strained to hear the guards talking continue. No such luck. He heard one of the men whisper and looked out again to see one heading towards the alert button and the others closing in on the locker._

_Thinking quickly he pulled a flash bang grenade from his belt and slipped it out of the locker. _

_He heard the harsh whispers become concerned yells before the white light exploded. Castle kicked open the door, his M9 drawn by the time he exploded into the hangar. The loud whirring of the alarm told him that there wasn't much time before the rest of the base was on them. _

_He popped a round into the guard nearest to him and hauled the man's limp body up to use as a shield. He stormed forward, towards the others. The dead guard's body shook violently as it absorbed the bullets that flew towards him._

_When the body was sufficiently peppered and would no longer serve as his shield, Castle hoisted it and chucked it at the guards._

_The agile men in front of him dodged the body and swarmed him and his squad. Castle got a sadistic grin on his face as he holstered his gun and slid the MK3 knife from its sheath around his calf. He transferred it from one hand to the other quickly._

_He lunged at the men, the blade slicing through flesh, muscle and tendon with a sickening, wet sound. He turned and brought the blade across the throat of the man nearest to him as their high ranking officers squirmed on the ground, clutching his severed arm to his chest._

_"Castle! We've got numerous foot mobiles inbound to our positions! We gotta get the fuck out of here!" Pennington, the weapons specialist, yelled from the hallway to the exit of the hangar. Castle turned and surveyed the men that were now laying in a haphazard pile in the middle of the room, then glanced towards the man still writhing in pain. _

_He crossed to the man, upholstered his gun, pressed the muzzle against the man's forehead and pulled the trigger. A fine pink mist erupted from the back of his head and Castle bolted towards the hallway. _

_He lead the squad towards the exit but was greeted with a burly man blocking the exit. He skidded to a stop, thinking quickly he bolted back towards the hangar._

_"Rick, what the fuck are we doing?" One of the men hollered to him._

"_I'm going to distract him, when he's away from the door you guys make a break for it."_

"_We can't leave you here!"_

"_You won't. I'll be right behind you, now do it!" He snarled, turning around to face the man who was lumbering after them. The large Russian caught Esposito's arm as he ran by, hurling him to the ground. _

_ "ESPOSITO!" Castle screamed and hurtled towards the two men. He tackled the man, straddling his torso and raining punches into his face until blood and saliva dripped from his knuckles. "Espo, go!" He snapped at the young soldier who was still hovering close by._

_The squad stared for a moment before they ran towards the exit. Castle saw that they had escaped and pushed himself off the larger man, making a run for the door. A large, beefy hand closed around his ankle and dragged him back across the blood slicked cement._

_He pulled his knife from his leg once again as he stood, facing the man that was blocking the door again. He lunged forward, blade pointed at the guard's heart, but the large hand closed around his wrist and flung him over the man's head until his back connected with the cement, the air evacuating his lungs quickly. The guard pulled a Makarov pistol from his holster and fired a round into Castle's shoulder, the pain searing through his body was immense but drowned slightly by the rush of adrenaline it provided. _

_ Castle regained his breath as the man was preparing to fire again and he lunged forward, the knife plunging into the man's chest, just over his sternum. Using both hands and all of his body weight, Castle pushed the blade downward until he reached the man's pelvis, a sickening crushing of bones and shredding of flesh following it its wake. _

_Black blood began bubbling from the man's mouth as he sank to his knees before flopping onto his side dramatically._

_"Night, night, bitch." Castle spit the words as though they were venom. He slid the knife from the man's stomach and wiped the bloodied blade across the guard's uniform as he watched the man gasp for breath._

_The pain hit him all at once as the adrenaline began to wear off. He stumbled out of the hangar into the blizzard that raged outside and collapsed in a snow bank. He heard the voices of his squad and felt their hands lifting him._

_"Stay with me, Rick!" Esposito bellowed, jabbing some sort of needle into Rick's shoulder. "Listen to me! We're going to get this bullet out. I'm...I won't lie to you, Castle. It's gonna hurt." The last thing Castle felt before blacking out completely was the tip of Esposito's combat knife sliding into his skin, he heard his own blood curdling scream, and then all went black._

"Esposito did a field surgery to pull the bullet out of my shoulder. Slit me open, got it out and stitched me up in the middle of a God damned blizzard." He chuckled sadly, a tear pooling in his eyes.

He glanced at Kate's face, her jaw hanging low. Rick disentangled himself from her embrace and started off through the woods again. His body shook as he remembered the night that he'd lost his humanity.

"What are you doing, Rick?" She asked softly, following him quickly.

"I'm leaving. You're probably disgusted with me." He pushed aside a tree branch, making sure to hold it so it didn't swing back and hit her in the face. "I've done terrible things, things you couldn't even dream of. I've killed people before without even knowing the reason. I'm not the man you think I am and I'm not the man you need." Castle spoke to the ground.

"You did what you had to. What you were _ordered_ to do. You're still a good man, Rick."

"You can't fix me, Kate." The pain that seared through his eyes broke her heart.

"Yes, I can. You know why?" He gave her a confused look when she cupped his cheek in her hand. "Because as long as I'm breathing nothing will happen to you. I've got your back. Always."

_**She walked through bullets and haze,**_

_** I asked her to stop, I begged her to stay,**_

_** But she pressed on, so I lifted my gun,**_

_** And I fired away.**_

_** The shells jumped through the smoke,**_

_** And into the sand that the blood now had soaked.**_

_** She collapsed with a flag in her hand.**_

_** A flag white as snow.**_

_** A hero of war, is that what they see?**_

_** Just medals and scars, so damned proud of me.**_

_** I brought home that flag, now it gathers dust,**_

_** But it's a flag that I love, the only flag I trust.**_

_** He said, "Son, have you seen the world? **_

_** What would you say if I said that you could?"**_

__**Right...so...long ass chapter...I know...this took on a mind of it's own. But, like I said before, this is not so much a "fic" as it will be a completely AU novel of sorts. So, we're in this one for the long haul. Please read and review, I'd love you input :) Much love, J.R.**


	5. Chapter 5: Wilder then any 8 second ride

_**48 reviews? You guys are awesome! I am having a blast writing this fic, and I can't wait to see where our little adventure takes us!**_

_** Review that made me smile: 4evercaskett- "You write in a way that makes it easy to read and understand. I get sucked into your chapters, whether they're happy, or sad, in much the same way I did as a child listening to my grandparents tell stories." Thank you, love! Made me speechless and even tear up a bit!**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC.**_

_** A/N: Feel free to follow me on Twitter: lyoung_09  
><strong>_

_** Playlist for this chapter: **_

_** "Stomp" by PBR Allstars**_

_** "Rank Bull" by Deryl Dodd**_

_**XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX**_

__"Always." Rick replied, pulling her palm to his lips and placing a gentle kiss there. Kate grinned in response, lacing her fingers behind his neck and pulling him to her. Their kiss was slow and languid as she remembered the events of the past day.

When they parted Rick pressed his forehead against hers and sighed.

"This is crazy, you know." He whispered, brushing an unruly tandril of hair behind her ear.

"What's crazy?" Kate ran her finger down his cheek and settled her hands on his shoulders.

"This. Whatever it is that we're doing here. You're not going to stay around after you get your story, and I'm traveling most of the year. But, God help me, Kate I've never thought about a woman the way I think about you and it's barely even been a day." Kate tensed under his hands, suddenly nervous. "I don't want you to get weird just because I said that, Kate. I didn't say it to put some sort of undue pressure on you to label what this is, or to try and convince you to stay with me. I just thought that you should know where I stand." He kissed her neck lightly.

"I know, Rick." Kate said after a few seconds of remaining silent. She allowed her arms to wrap around his shoulders and tucked her head under his chin. "I know the feeling. You're unlike any man that I've ever met." She could feel Rick smile into her hair when she spoke. The pair remained tangled in each other's embrace for a few moments longer before Rick pulled back, placing a kiss in her hair, and looked into her eyes.

"We should get back to camp. Need to get some shut eye before tomorrow. It's going to be a big day." Kate nodded slowly. He kicked a rock nervously and Kate smiled at how cute he looked. "I...uh...are you going to watch from my chute?"

"Watch from your chute?"

"Yeah, all of the other riders have their woman watch their runs from the chutes so that when they get back from the ride they aren't too far away." Rick's dazzling grin and the twinkle in his eye were enough convincing for her.

"Sure, I'll watch from your chute, Rick. But, don't get any ideas about turning me into a kept woman this week just 'cause I did." She shot him a wink to reassure him that she was joking and he chuckled low in his throat.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Miss Beckett." He laced their fingers together and led them back towards the camp. "Come now, it's sleep time."

_**XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX**_

The first rays of sunlight streamed through the tent and carassed Kate's face softly, and her nose crinkled, her body refusing to wake up. She let out a tiny groan when she felt a large, calloused hand slide over her shoulder.

"Kate." Rick kissed her shoulder, lightly running his fingers over the inside of her forearm.

"Uh-uh." She groaned, turning over and nuzzling into his chest. She felt his heart beat in his chest. "Five more minutes." She slurred, tightening her arms around his waist. Rick laughed at her indignition.

"You've got to wake up, Kate. We made breakfast, and we are gonna head back to the ranch." He murmured against her 's eyes fluttered open, causing a wide grin to spread across her face. "Good morning, beautiful." He whispered.

"Hi." Kate returned his grin as they both stared at one another for a moment. Rick was the first to move and pull her to her feet, ducking due to the low ceiling of the tent. Kate couldn't help but grin when Rick held open the flap of the tent and gestured for her to exit first.

"Ever the gentleman, Castle."

"For you." He grinned and she felt her heart flutter.

Ryan and Esposito were hunched over the fire bickering about something when they stepped into the bright morning sun, but the two men ceased their argument immediately when they saw Kate and Rick.

"Morning, boss. Miss Beckett." Ryan smiled broadly and touched the brim of his hat.

"Ryan you can call me Kate." She chuckled and patted him on the back.

"Morning, Kate. Sarge." Esposito greeted. "You two sleep alright?"

"Well as can be expected for sleeping on the ground, Esposito." Rick chuckled, taking a seat on the log and taking a drink from the coffee mug that Ryan extended to him. Kate took a seat next to him and was handed her own mug of coffee. "So, y'all ready to head on back to the house? Got the qualifiers tonight. Should be good."

"Yeah, boss. You'll lock it down, no problem." Ryan agreed, finishing the rest of his coffee. "Espo and I can pack up the rest of the camping gear if you and Kate wanna head towards the ranch, boss. I know you got lots to do before tonight."

"Thanks, Ryan. You guys are the best." Rick downed his coffee, stood and extended his hand to Kate. "Your chariot awaits, Ma'am." He smiled sarcastically. Kate swatted his hand away and stood by herself.

"Nice try, Rick." She winked and sauntered towards her horse, untying the rope that tethered her to a tree nearby. The warm wind gathered her hair from where it hung on her neck and Rick's breath caught in his neck, stopping his foot mid way to the stirrup. The woman was amazingly beautiful, funny, smart, sexy...

_'Stop kidding yourself, Castle. She's too damn good for you. And what's it matter anyway? She'll be gone by the time the buckles are passed out after finals.'_ He sighed to himself. His concious did have a point there. Kate was going to be gone before he knew it and he'd be alone. Again.

He'd heard it his entire life. 'You're a great guy, Rick. Just not for me.'. He was beginning to wonder if he would ever find a woman that wouldn't use him and then leave. He hoisted himself onto his horse and adjusted his position in the saddle before he rode over beside Kate.

"You ready?" He asked, tugging her hat down further on her head to make sure it didn't fall off. "I want you to keep that hat." He mused allowed. Kate responded by quirking an eyebrow. "It looks great on you, I told you that. Very sexy."

"Oh. Well...thank you." She smiled and the two of them started down the ridge.

The air around them was filled with the souds of birds singing and the forest coming to life. Their horses' hooves pounded the ground softly as they walked, occasionally snorting.

"So, tell me more about yourself, Kate Beckett." Rick broke the silence. Kate thought for a moment before answering.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, like...your family, tell me about them." Kate cringed and was silent for a long while. "You don't have to if you don't want to, Kate. I'm sorry I brought it up." Rick apologized, his eyes firmly on the trail in front of them.

"It's okay, Rick. My mom was murdered when I was in college." She took a deep, shaky breath. "She was stabbed, and my father and I came home to find her on the floor."

"Kate." Rick breathed, reaching his hand across the space between them and laying it on her leg. She laced her fingers with his before continuing.

"She was a lawyer. Always tried to help out the people in the legal system that needed her the most. You know, people could afford their own representation and the like. She was a wonderful woman." Kate choked back the tears that threatened to overcome her as she spoke. "My dad...he took losing her hard. Fell into the bottle for a quite a while. You've never really seen rock bottom until you have to tuck your father into bed after a night of heavy drinking." She sniffled loudly, wiping her moist eyes with the sleeve of her shirt. "He went to AA meetings. Got sober. Relapsed a few times, but he's doing okay now. We meet for dinner every now and then to discuss how he's doing." Rick's eyes burned into her with a sympathy that she had grown familiar with shortly after her mother died. Everyone looked at her like that for a long time.

"I'm so sorry that you had to go through that, honey." He whispered. Kate brushed the flutter that went through her at the use of the endearment as nothing more than nerves from having shared so much about herself. "No one should have to go through that at such a young age. You're so strong, I'm in awe of how you handled it. It would have been so easy to wander down the same path that your dad did. But you didn't, you stayed strong for him. That's what makes you extraordinary, Kate." A comfortable silence fell between them as she rolled his words around in her head.

Before long they were trotting up the lawn towards the stables and putting the horses up. Rick fed and watered them before they made their way towards the house. Just as he was about to open the door to the main house for her she caught his arm and turned him to face her.

"You know what the worst part about losing her was?"

"What's that?"

"Having to spend the holidays with my dad without her. She loved each and every holiday, and now they just feel empty. Forced. Vacant. And that kills me everytime." Rick wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him.

"As long as I have anything to say about it you'll never have to worry about spending a holiday alone, Kate." She tenseed. "I don't care if you're here, in New York City, or jet setting somewhere in a foreign country. Holidays are meant to be shared with people you care about." He kissed her nose before walking into the house, leaving Kate staring after him, dumbfounded.

_'Holidays are meant to be shared with people you care about.' _His words echoed through her mind. Did Castle just tell her that he cared about her?

_**XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX**_

Late that afternoon, Kate was puttering around the kitchen and fixing herself a cup of coffee. She hadn't really seen Rick since the incident on the porch earlier in the day. Though, she couldn't seem to shake the niggling feel that she may possibly have started developing feelings for Rick, as well.

But, that couldn't be right. She'd only known him for a couple of days. There was no way that she had already started to fall for that man. But, on the other hand, he was debonair, dashing, charming, witty, sexy, funny...

She sighed and braced her hands on the marble counter in front of her, hanging her head low and closing her eyes. She had to stop thinking about it. She was letting herself make way too much of a statement that he probably didn't even mean the way she thought he did.

Ryan and Esposito were bickering in the corral outside when she finally allowed herself to lift her gaze from the tile floor. She chuckled, despite her cautious feelings about Castle, she had grown quite fond of the other two men. They were like the two brothers that she never had when she was a child. They played games, joked with one another, pulled practical jokes, and fought tooth-and-nail to prove the other one wrong. However, underneath all of that exterior immaturity, were two kind, good-hearted, phenomenal men that she was proud to call her friends.

She was so lost in her musing about the boys that she had completely missed Rick slipping into the kitchen behind her. When she turned aroud to find him with his boots propped up on the table, a black, tight fitted button down with his sponser's patches on the arms, dark blue Wranglers, a hat that looked like it was fresh out of the box, and red and black leather boots on his feet with an apple halfway to his mouth, she couldn't help but yelp.

"You scared me!" She sighed, smacking his shoulder lightly. He chuckled, biting the apple and chewing thoughtfully, undoubtedly coming up with some witty retort for her. Kate was mesmerized when she saw a droplet of juice from the fruit glide from his lip, to his chin, and make a path down his chest before disappearing into the sinfully sexy shirt of his.

"Anything to make you scream, Kate." He grinned, his eyes glinting playfully. She couldn't surpress the laugh that bubbled out of her lips. "What?"

"Was that supposed to be your idea of a come on?" She gasped in between bursts of laughter. Rick scowled at her.

"Oh, and you think you can do better?" Kate instantly sobered. She pulled her hair to one side, crossed the floor quickly and straddled him in the chair. She placed her hands on either side of the back of the chair, leaning in close enough that they were breathing the same air. Her lips were close enough to his that even a shiver would have had them touching.

"Oh, I _know_ I can, Ricky." Just as Rick leaned forward to capture her lips, she jumped off of his lap and perched herself on the counter. He stared after her, mouth agape and stammered.

"That...you...I...unfair." He finally conceeded, shaking his head.

"All's fair in love and war, Castle." They both were laughing hysterically when Esposito and Ryan walked in.

"You two love birds ready to get a move on? Don't want to keep those bulls waiting, boss." Ryan said, helping Kate off the counter. "Trailer's all hitched to the truck."

"Ryan and I will take the truck and trailer over, you and Kate can take the other truck, we'll meet you guys over there." Ryan and Esposito gathered a couple more items before running out to the large truck and taking off.

Rick extended his arm to Kate and she slid hers through his, their elbows locking.

"Shall we?"

"We shall." She replied.

"Let's go show you how I make my living, little missy." He smirked.

"Make your living." She scoffed. "You 'make your living' eight seconds at a time, Rick." He chuckled and kissed the knuckles of her right hand.

"But it's one _hell_ of an eight seconds, Kate."

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_** So, what do y'all think? I'm going to start putting a 'chapter playlist' at the top of each chapter. These will be the songs that I feel were most helpful in the formation of the chapter. They are simply suggestions for something that you can listen to while reading, they seem to help set the tone for the fic. Hope you guys are enjoying this, I know I am. Y'all are the best!**_


	6. Chapter 6: Cowboy to the Core

_**My mind is working way too fast to even allow me to fathom an author's note past this: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! I LOVE YOU GUYS UNCONDITIONALLY!**_

_** This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful Beckett Towns. Yeehaw!**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle belongs to ABC and Andrew W. Marlowe. "Cowboy to the Core" belongs to the PBR Allstars**_

_** Playlist for this chapter:**_

_** "Faster, Faster" by PBR Allstars**_

_** "Cowboy to the Core" by PBR Allstars**_

_** "Eight Second Ride" by Jake Owen**_

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_** I make my living 8 seconds at a time,**_

_** Tryin' to tame boilin' hell by gougin ugly hide.**_

_** No room for fear, if you got it, find the door,**_

_** Cause this ain't the place to find out,**_

_** If you ain't cowboy to the core.**_

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__Kate marveled at exactly how many people were packed into the dimly lit arena as she, Rick, Ryan and Esposito walked through the dusty center corral.

The men helped her through the gates and Rick guided her to his chute by placing his hand on the small of her back. Around them the arena was alive with commotion as teams scurried to get their riders ready for what needed to be a flawless performance.

"Castle, you gotta come draw your rides." A tall, skinny man with a handle bar moustache and cowboy hat called from somewhere to their left.

"You got it, Sam." Rick placed a kiss on her forehead. "I'll be right back, darlin'." Kate felt her heart flutter at the term of endearment. She watched him saunter away, his tight fitted jeans, sponser covered rodeo shirt, and vest making her stomach knot and her mind go many places it shouldn't in public. She turned around to find Esposito and Ryan smirking at her.

"Boy, you got it bad for Castle, don't you, Kate?" Ryan chuckled, playfully pushing her shoulder.

"What? No! I...we're..." She sighed when Esposito quirked an eyebrow at her. "Am I that obvious?"

"Oh yeah." The men replied in unison. Kate scowled at them and leaned against the fence.

"No need to worry, Beckett. Secret's safe with us." Ryan laid a hand on her shoulder. "But, I gotta say, I think you'd be good for him. He hasn't really been accepting of anyone since...well, Meredith."

"Meredith?" She quirked an eyebrow.

"His ex-wife. She ended up cheating on him with some hot shot Hollywood guy. They have a kid together, her name's Alexis. Pretty damned cute, if you ask me." He dug a small photo out of his wallet and handed it to Kate.

A much younger Rick stared back up at her, his arms wrapped around a small child, maybe three or four years old. A shock of bright red hair poked out from underneath Rick's cowboy hat which was on the child's head. Rick looked so carefree and happy, a large smile plastered across his face.

"She's beautiful." Kate replied, running her fingers over the photo. When she extended it to Ryan he shook his head.

"You keep it. That smile on your face tells me that you have more use for it then I do." Kate gave her silent thanks and pulled the man into a hug.

"You're a good man, Kevin Ryan." She chuckled at his surprised squeak and then released him. Rick strode up beside them and extended a paper to the men.

"Got awesome bulls, guys. Finals are all locked up." He grinned confidently, slinging his arm over Kate's shoulders and tucking her into his side like it was the most natural thing in the world. An announcer bellowed something that Kate couldn't make out over the intercom and Rick plopped his hat on his head. "I gotta go get ready for my first run." He pressed his lips to Kate's in a quick, chaste kiss.

"Break a leg." The boys all gave her a strange look. "I suppose that's probably not the best way to wish a bull rider luck, huh?" She grimaced.

"We usually just say good luck." Rick laughed loudly and hopped onto the chute gate.

Kate felt the ground begin to rumble underneath her feet while she watched Ryan attach a number to the back of Rick's vest.

Seemingly out of nowhere, an enormous bull rocketed into the chute in front of them. She stared in awe, her jaw hanging open, at the beast. He had beautiful rust colored fur until just above the base of his neck, then it turned to a prestine white. His eyes were large, brown, and full of a firey determination that she had never seen before. His breath was hot on her feet when he snorted, dirt springing up towards her from the surge of air.

She felt her breath catch in her throat when Rick lowered himself onto the bull, his legs stretching to hook around the two-thousand pound girth of him. He hooked his hand under the rope that was strapped around the animal's chest and tightened it around his gloved right hand. He shifted his hips forward quickly, moving towards the rope. The simple action of thrusting his hips forward to adjust his positioning had an arrow of heat scorching through her body and she took a studdering breath to calm herself.

Rick pounded his hand that was burrowed into the rope a couple of times, dust plumed into the air with the contact to the glove. He adjusted his hips a couple more times before pulling his hat down sunggly onto his head, covering the flaming blue eyes that could bring her to her knees. He slowly raised hand above his head, looked at Ryan, Esposito, and the men perched outside the chute door and gave them all an energetic nod. The men outside the chute pulled on a rope, opening the gate, and the bull exploded into the arena.

The animal used all of its muscles to kick and turn and twist underneath Rick, but he shifted to meet the ever changing balance, never losing his grip on the rope. Kate watched him clench his thighs tightly around the bull's body and moaned quietly.

Dust and dirt flew up around the animal's hooves as he moved, his entire body weight hurling Rick around the arena like he was nothing more than a ragdoll. Snot and saliva flew from the bull's face, turning small spots of the dirt into mud underneath its crushing hooves.

The devilish grin that was spread across his face was unmistakable, familiar and completely Castle. This was where Rick belonged, on top of a one ton hurricane, in front of thousands of camera flashes. Kate's white-knuckled grip on the fence didn't loosen any as she watched his hips bucking with the bull, and she let her mind drift to a few other times when she'd seen his body move like that.

After what seemed like two lifetimes, a buzzer erupted through the arena and the crowd lost it. They screamed and they whistled, but Kate stood in shocked silence. That was like nothing that she had ever witnessed before. Rick rolled off of the back of the bull with a practiced ease, watching where the rodeo clowns were herding the enraged bull, before turning towards the crowd, waiting a moment, and then hurling his hat skyward.

His excitement was the only reason that Kate knew it was a good ride. She had never been much of a fan of the rodeo. Other sports had always been her forte. Rick ran across the corral and climbed over the gate, pulling her to him as soon as his boots hit the ground.

"Did you guys see that?" He exclaimed as he picked Kate off her feet, pressed his lips to hers, and twirled her in a circle. "That ride was _amazing_!" Kate could do nothing more than look on as the men chattered excitedly between themselves.

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_**I got a number on my back,**_

_** Scarred up chaps, spurs strapped to my boots.**_

_** The ride of my life a ton of dynamite**_

_** Waiting to blow sky high in the chutes.**_

_** I pull the rig up tight, wrap my hand suicide**_

_** Like every time before.**_

_** Pull my hat down low, move up on my rope,**_

_** Nod my head, let's go get cowboy to the core.**_

_**XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX**_

The rest of the evening passed rather quickly. Rick had a couple more rides, and finished the evening in first place, locking in his position at the finals, which were a week away.

That evening, once that sun had long since set, they all sat around the oak table in the dining room at Rick's ranch, laughing and sharing stories over grilled steaks, potatoes and beers.

"The first time we met Ryan was something else, I'll give you that." Rick laughed loudly, the sound filling the room with a comfortable ease. Kate made a note to try to get him laughing more often.

"Ah, come on, boss. It wasn't that bad." Ryan whined, stuffing a piece of steak into his mouth.

"Bro, you were about to get your ass 'leprecahun tossed' out of a pub on Saint Patrick's Day because you were yelling at the bar tender 'I'm Irish and it's Saint Patty's Day, I ain't paying for shit!'." Esposito laughed. "How is that 'not that bad'?" A blush crept up Ryan's neck.

"Okay...maybe I was a little out of hand that day. But, mind you, I was a few Guinnesses for the worse at that point." He replied, pointing his index finger at them matter-of-factly.

"That's your story and you're sticking to it, eh?" Esposito ribbed, nudging the younger man with his elbow. Ryan gave him a defiant nod.

Kate just shook her head and ate the last of her meal before leaning back in her chair.

"Dinner was excellent, guys. But, now that I am stuffed and won't have to eat for a week, I think I'm gonna hit the hay. Big day tomorrow." She said, referring to the first day of the finals. She stood, rinsed her dishes in the sink, and headed up the stairs to the guest room.

She stood in front of the queen sized bed, pulled her shirt over her head, and tossed it onto the native print blanket that was hung over the foot of the mattress. She heard the door open and shut quietly, smiling to herself when Rick's large, bare feet padded quietly across the plush carpeting.

"I was wondering how long it was going to take you to realize that I'm in no mood to sleep." She hummed when his lips ghosted over the back of her neck, his fingers working the taught muscles of her shoulders.

"Well, darlin', you might as well have been stripping me down in your mind since you saw my first ride today." He chuckled, the sound reverberating through her body.

"You noticed?"

"Of course I noticed. It was a damn bit unsettling too. Especially when all I could think about in between runs was taking you out behind the bucking chutes and making you scream my name." The ease with which he professed such vulgar thoughts only served to turn her on more, not helped by the fact that he was already easing her arms out of her bra and tossing it to the floor.

His lips were hot against her skin, trailing open mouthed kisses down her spine, his fingers running down the middle of her stomach. He stopped where her jeans met her hips and flicked the button open with one hand, unzipping them and gently pulling them down her legs. Rick moved her to the bed and knelt between her legs, pulling her shoes, socks and jeans off of her.

Kate let out a low groan when he slid his hand slowly back up her leg before slipping one finger inside her warmth. Using his other hand he pressed lightly on her stomach, urging her to lay back on the bed, her legs still hanging over the edge. Rick laid his thumb on her sensitive nub, rubbing the pad of it in circles and drawing mewls of pleasure from her. Kate arched her back off the bed when his tongue replaced his thumb.

She wanted, no, _needed_ him to go faster, to apply more pressure, but he kept the slow and steady rhythm as he slid another finger into her.

"Oh, God, Rick." She sighed, her hips pressing down to grind herself against his hand. Rick placed a kiss to her hip bone, his tongue flickering over the sweat slick flesh.

"Patience, love. Good things take time." He murmured against her stomach. His tongue darted out to taste the curve of her stomach muscles, his teeth grazing her silky skin and illiciting a deep moan from her. He continued his path up her body, his tongue and teeth working her into a frenzy as he inserted another finger to stretch her. He bit her hardened nipple lightly, his tongue flicking at the bud between his teeth.

Kate growled loudly, bucking into his hands and burying her hands in his hair, urging him to keep going. Rick released that nipple and laved the other one with equal attention. She was clay in his hands and, if there was one coherent thought that Kate could form, it was the fact that the man was an artist with her body.

She felt heat coiling within her and then her orgasm slammed into her, the force almost blinding. She came with his name tumbling from her lips and her hips thrusting erratically against his hand. When she finally came down and opened her eyes, she found Rick licking his hand clean before placing his hands on either side of her head and hovering over her. She hooked her foot around his ankle and flipped them so that she was straddling his hips.

Smirking down at him, she tore the buttons of his shirt open and flung it across the room where it landed on the dresser. She moved down his body, placing kisses against his warm chest, and slid his jeans and boxers down his legs. She moved back up his body, kissing the inside of his thighs, his jutting hip bones, the thin trail of hair just below his belly button, and made her way back to his lips again. She guided him inside her, swallowing the moans that escaped his lips as she surrounded him.

They sat there for a moment, neither of them moving, simply feeling, enjoying the sensation of one another. Then Rick flipped them again, thrusting his hips slowly to build a friction that scorched from his head to his toes. He rocked his body against hers roughly, but tenderly, if the combination were possible.

He nipped her ear lobe lightly, then laved it with his tongue. Kate moaned loudly at the sensation, wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling him in deeper. She dug her nails across his back, drawing blood, when he sank his teeth in to her shoulder. His thrusts stuttered and Kate could tell he was close. She curled her hands into his hair and pulled his lips against hers, their tongues clashing, just as she clenched around him and he emptied himself into her.

"Kate," He sighed against her ear when they parted. She hummed contentedly and pulled him down next to her. Rick wrapped his arms around her waist and drug her closer to him, her head pillowed on his chest and her arms wrapped around him. He smiled to himself and watched the moon out the window until he felt her breath even out into a slow, steady rhythm and she was snoring softly. "I'm falling for you, woman. Lord, help me, I think I'm in love with you Katherine Beckett." He sighed and closed his eyes, sleep overtaking him shortly after.

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_** :) The next chapter will probably take a couple of days to write, so I figured I'd post two chapters to hold you all over until then :D Let me know what you think!**_


	7. Chapter 7: New Favorite Memory

_**I cannot stress enough how much I adore all of you! You guys are phenomenal. In the first hour and a half that the last two chapters were posted I had 14 new reviews, and the count now sits at 69 reviews! You guys are the greatest!**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and all of its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC. **_

_** Playlist for this chapter: **_

_** "If The Bulls Don't Kill Me" by PBR Allstars**_

_** "Gimme Eight Seconds" by Toby Keith & Bernie Taupin**_

_** "Drunk on You" by Luke Bryan**_

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__When Kate woke the next morning she was tangled around Rick in a most enticing way. His hair was all thrown out of place, sticking out at odd angles and she couldn't help but smile at how adorable he looked.

The silence of the room was broken by the ringing of her cell phone. Kate scurried around the room, a sheet wrapped around her body, slipped into the hallway and answered the phone.

"Lanie, you've gotta remember the time difference." She chuckled.

"Girl, you've got some explaining to do." Lanie's voice was insistant.

"I'm sorry?"

"Have you turned on ESPN this morning?" She sighed.

"No, I just got up." She made her way to the living area and flicked on the big screen television to where Sports Center was playing.

_'Is it love for PBR Allstar Richard Castle? The lovely lady that he was seen sharing a moment with after his qualifying ride has been identified as '12th Sports' magazine's reporter, Kate Beckett.'_

"Oh, shit." She breathed. "Has Montgomery seen this?"

"Oh yeah." Lanie replied, a hint of teasing in her voice. "You wanna know what he said?"

"Do I?" She asked, pinching her nose between her thumb and forefinger.

"He said that it's good you finally found someone. He said he's been hoping you'd move on from Royce for the past three years." Kate groaned to herself. Lanie was talking about referring to her ex-boyfriend Mike Royce. Royce had been the her mentor when she had first graduated and got a job with '12th Sports'. She fell in love with him hard and fast, he was her idol. But Royce was always her Holy Grail. Always just out of reach.

"I have moved on from Royce, Lanie." She said half heartedly. "Besides, we were never together, there was nothing to move on from."

"Uh-huh. Sure. Whatever you say, Kate." Kate could practically see Lanie rolling her eyes and smirking. "So...what's Castle like? Hmm? Thrown that man between the sheets and rumbled around yet?" Kate thought about how to answer that for a moment as she made her way to the kitchen and started the coffee pot.

"He's...he's really sweet, and funny. And sexy. And he knows his way around a bedroom." She whispered. The last thing that she needed was Ryan and Esposito sneaking up behind her and hearing her musing about Rick. "His ranch staff are really nice too. There's one guy, Esposito, I think you'd like him. Tall, dark, and handsome. Just the kind you like." Kate chuckled. She imagined the swoon that had come over Lanie.

"Why do I not have photo evidence to examine?" She asked, feigning anger.

"I'll get right on that. I have to start doing my interviews and what not today. The finals don't techincally start until next week, but my work starts today." She sighed. It had been a long time since Kate had ever been so sad about having to cover a big story like this one. But the sooner she started interviewing the guys, the sooner the finals would be there, and that was one day closer to having to leave Rick. She shook herself slightly, cursing her own brain for being so upset about having to leave a man that she had only met a few days before.

She heard their bedroom door open, and Rick shuffled into the kitchen, half awake. Wait...when had it become _their_ bedroom? She decided that it was just a mental slip. Nothing more. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his lips to her neck sleepily.

"Morning, babe." He muttered and Kate smirked despite herself.

"Girl, is that him? Did he just call you 'babe'? Oh, you guys have petnames that adorable!" Lanie squealed in her ear. Kate chuckled and pressed a kiss to Rick's lips. "Stop making out in my ear. It's weird."

"Lanie, I'm not making out in your ear, I kissed him good morning." She laughed. Rick turned his head and gave her a look of recognition when he saw the cell phone pressed against her ear.

"I'm making pancakes, you want some?" He asked, moving to grab a pan and box of Bisquick out of the cupboard.

"Sure, thank you. I made coffee." Kate took a seat on one of the bar stools and sipped the mug of steaming coffee in front of her. "So, how are things back on the home front?"

"Good, I guess. Karpowski is covering for you, so I don't really have anyone to talk to. We don't exactly see eye-to-eye. Montgomery and his wife are going on their anniversary vacation next week."

"Tell them to have fun for me?"

"You know I will. How's the country life?"

"Good. We went on an overnight camping thing the other day, went to the qualifying round last night. Today we're...I have no idea what we're doing today."

"I'm gonna teach you to ride a bull." Rick replied to her unasked question from the stove, where he stood in only a pair of jeans, flipping pancakes.

"Rick's going to teach me to ride a...wait, what? Lanie, I have to go brutally beat Rick, I'll call you tonight, text me when you get home from work."

"You got it, girl." Lanie chuckled. "Have fun." Kate clapped the phone shut and turned to face Rick.

"You want to do what, now?"

"I'm gonna teach you to ride a bull." He repeated as if it were the most obvious statement in the world.

"I can't...you can't...no."

"I can. And I will." Rick smiled, kissing her passionately and pressing her body between his own and the counter top.

"Morning, boss." They broke apart when Ryan took a seat at the breakfast bar.

"Morning, Ryan. Sleep well?" Rick asked, going back to flipping pancakes, allowing Kate to take her seat at the bar once again. Rick looked at Ryan, gesturing to the pancakes, Ryan nodded in reply and took a long drink of his coffee.

"Like a baby, boss." He smiled. Ryan was a nice looking man, Kate couldn't deny that. But, the hero worship and the bromance between him and Esposito had her asking questions. "Good morning, Miss Beck... I mean Kate." He smiled, running his hand through his hair.

"Morning, Ryan." She returned his smile.

"Espo awake yet, Ryan?" Rick asked, breaking the silence that fell over them.

"Yeah, he was in the shower when I came down here. Should be out any minute." As if on cue, Esposito walked into the kitchen.

"Morning, Sarge. Kate." He greeted as he took a seat at the bar. "Oh, pancakes." He gave Kate and Rick a devilish smirk. "You know what they say about pancakes, right, Ryan?" He directed the question to Ryan but kept his eyes trained on Rick's intense gaze.

"Uh...you can never have too much syrup?" Ryan asked, shoveling a piece of pancake that Rick had set in front of him into his mouth.

"Nah, bro. Pancakes aren't just 'breakfast'. They're an edible way of saying 'thank you _so_ much for last night'." He smirked, sipping his coffee.

"Esposito, go muck the stalls." Rick ordered, removing the cup from the other man's hand and dumping it down the sink.

"Come on, Rick, I was just kidd-."

"_Now, Javier."_ Rick growled, his fiery gaze burning into Esposito.

"Yes, sir." He grumbled, picking up his hat, and walking out the door.

"I'm sorry, Kate. He's not exactly the most subtle person under my employ." Rick apologized, covering her hand with his.

"It's okay, Rick. I actually thought it was kind of funny." She replied, chuckling lightly as she finished her pancakes. Rick shot her a thankful smile and kissed her hand softly. He disappeared for a moment before returning with a smaller pair of chaps, her hat, and new boots.

"You ready to do this?" He smiled, extending the contents of his hands to her. Kate grimaced but took them anyway. Rick helped her adjust the chaps and she tugged the boots on before plopping the hat onto her head, tugging it naturally into place. Rick let out a low whistle and held her hand over her head, spinning her in a circle. She laughed loudly when he twirled her into his body and pressed his lips against her ear. "Boy, I hope you're a quick learner, Katherine." She shuddered.

"Why's that, Richard?"

"Because as soon as you hit your first eight second run, I'm dragging you into the hay loft and tearing those back off you." With that, he released her and held the door open, gesturing for her to follow Ryan to the corral, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"You're an evil man, Mister Castle." She whispered as she walked past him. Kate wasn't the least bit surprised when his hand connected with her backside.

"You wouldn't have me any other way."

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__The bull in the chute was oddly calm, Kate noted as she adjusted herself where she was perched on the chute fencing. Her hands shook wildly, struggling to keep herself balanced. Rick walked up behind her and slipped a padded vest onto her torso, zipping it over her chest. It reminded her of the bullet proof vests that she had seen in the cop movies her mother used to love watching. He placed a helmet with a full face mask. She felt herself relax a tiny bit at the precautions that he was taking.

"Relax, sweetheart." He whispered to her as he adjusted the helmet. "Do you trust me?" Kate thought for a moment. Did she trust him? Her answer came of its own volition.

"Always." She nodded, putting a smile on his face.

"Okay." He whispered and helped her onto the bull. He adjusted her hand in the rope, wrapping it around her hand a couple times. "Okay, Ryan is going to open the gate for you. Now, I want you to hold on with your thighs. He's gonna buck and twist, but not too hard. When he shifts, you need to shift with him. Can you do that?"

"You mean like on a motorcycle?" Rick stared at her a moment, his mouth agape.

"You ride a motorcycle?" She chuckled.

"Yes, Rick, I do."

"You have _no_ idea how arousing that idea is." He paused a moment. "Leathers and all?" She leaned in closer, mindful of the 2,000 pound firecracker under her.

"_Tight. Black. Leather."_ His blue eyes went black, blown wide with desire. He swallowed loudly.

"Uh, the next, uh, the next thing you need to know is that you need to do is make sure to stay up on the bull. Your legs should be around the hump in his back. Don't let yourself slide back too far or you'll get hurt. Okay?" He asked, his hand massaging her shoulder lightly as he spoke. Kate nodded. "Good. You ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." She replied, a shuddering breath escaping her mouth. He leaned in close enough for her to hear him.

"Be careful." She smiled shyly and nodded. "Alright, boys. Let 'er rip." Kate tightened her grip on the rope and tightened her legs. She shot one last glance at Rick before the gate opened and the bull jumped out of the gate. A small scream tore from her throat as she felt the animal move beneath her.

The bull's fur was short and bristled through the legs of her legs, brushing her skin. His heart pounded in his chest as he moved, a grunt vibrating his chest cavity, and his hooves ground into the dirt below him. Kate took a moment to look up at the boys who were cheering and waving their hats at her. Rick caught her gaze and nodded encouragingly. The animal whipped in a circle, blurring her vision, and jerking her muscles to the left.

She was amazed when the bull slowed and stopped bucking wildly. He snorted and trotted back towards the chute. When Kate gained her bearings, she found Esposito next to her on a horse, holding the bucking strap in his hand. He smiled at her and tipped his hat.

"Well done, for a rookie." He winked and jumped off his horse, stopping the bull dead in its tracks. He allowed her to extract her hands for the rope and lead the bull out of the arena. Kate took a shuddering breath before bolting to where Rick was waiting for her, his arms over his chest, and his legs crossed while he leaned on the gate.

"Did you see that?" She squealed, launching herself into his arms. Rick spun her around once before placing her feet back on the ground.

"Yeah, that was wonderful!" He beamed, adoration shimmering behind his eyes. "I'm so proud of you." He whispered, pulling her into another hug and kissing her temple. He took a moment to breathe in the scent that was Kate. He hummed contently. "Cherries."

"What?" She quirked an eyebrow at him.

"You smell like cherries." He repeated shyly, a blush creeping up his neck.

"My mom used to love them." She gave in the way of an explination. Rick smiled at her and commited the nostalgic look on her face to memory. He was sure it was a moment between them that he wouldn't soon forget.

"Kate!" Ryan called as he ran over, his boots kicking up dust as he ran. "That was fantastic!" He caught her in his arms and hugged her tightly. "You did so well! Where'd you learn to ride like that?"

"I had a good teacher." She replied, lacing her fingers with Rick's and giving his hand a squeeze. He smiled in response. Ryan chuckled and walked over to meet Esposito at the edge of the corral. The two men were animatedly recapping her ride. "They're good men."

"The best." Rick agreed, nodding his head before settling his chin into the crown of her head.

"I don't know about all that. You're one of the best men I know." She murmured into his chest, her free hand toying with the skin at the base of his throat. His breath hitched at her words. He had never considered himself a great man. Hell, he barely considered himself an alright man. Perhaps Kate saw something in him that he couldn't.

"Kate?" He asked quietly. She could tell he was nervous about something.

"Hmm?" She murmured quietly.

"My daughter's coming home today." He answered, pulling back to gage her reaction.

"Oh?" She asked, her face not portraying any one emotion.

"Yeah, she's been at her mother's in Los Angeles. Visitation and all that, but I have custody of her. Is...Is that alright? I mean, I don't want you to be uncomfortable or anything. If you want to leave I totally understand." He rambled, running his fingers through his espresso locks.

"Rick," She chuckled, pulling his hands from his hair and kissing both of his palms. "It's fine. I'd love to meet Alexis."

"How do you know her name?" He asked, confusion flitting over his face.

"Ryan." She pulled the photo out of her pocket and handed it to him. A tender smile crossed his gorgeous features.

"This was two years ago. It was her fifth birthday." He smiled, his fingers running over the little girl's face. "She's my whole world." He said quietly, his blue eyes turning to face Kate.

"I can see why. She's beautiful."

"Yeah. She's such a good kid. I love her to death." He took a deep breath before handing the photo back to Kate and taking her hand in his. "Ready?"

"Where are we going?"

"The airport. Alexis' plane is going to be here in an hour and a half. Gotta go meet my girl at the gate." He smiled and lead her towards the truck after hollering to the boys to tell them that they were leaving to get Alexis.

"We'll have her favorite lunch ready when you guys get back." Ryan called.

"Give her a big, wet kiss from her Tio Javi!" Esposito laughed, grabbing his horse's reigns and leading him toward the stables.

"Will do!" Rick replied and opened the truck door for Kate. She marveled once again at how tall the vehicle was and hoisted herself into the cab. Rick got in on the other side, started the truck, and took her hand in his. "She's going to love you, Kate. Don't worry." He said, sensing her anxiety, and pulling her closer, tucking her under his arm. He put the truck in 'drive' and pulled out of the driveway, heading in the direction of the airport. Kate mentally shook herself and tried to figure out when she had gotten so close to this man that she was meeting his daughter.

'_Oh, yeah. I'm in deep. No turning back now, Kate.'_ She mused to herself, glancing over at Rick who was singing to a country song she didn't recognize. Her mother's voice echoed through her head, making her smile.

'_Don't worry. Let this man in. The heart wants what the heart wants, Katie.'_

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	8. Chapter 8: Tough Little Boys

_**I am overwhelmed with the response to this. Y'all continue to be the greatest! I am having so much fun with this, so I hope that you guys are too! I apologize for this chapter being so short :( the next one will be longer and hopefully will be posted first thing tomorrow morning.**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and all its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC.**_

_** Playlist for this chapter:**_

_** "What Country Is" by Luke Bryan**_

_** "Mud on the Tires" by Brad Paisley**_

_** "Tough Little Boys" by Gary Allen**_

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__Rick and Kate made it through security at the airport much faster than he had anticipated and ended up with over an hour to kill before Alexis landed. They had walked the terminal more times then they could count, checked out every vendor, gotten coffee and a snack by the time that Rick found a place for them to sit.

"I'm bored." Rick sighed, leaning his head on Kate's shoulder.

"You've said that every ten minutes since we got here." She chuckled, running her hands through his hair. She let the pads of her fingers massage the skin at the base of his skull.

"Yes, but we haven't done anything to make me un-bored." He grumbled. Rick groaned against her skin when her fingers brushed along the tender skin behind his ear, his fingers grasped her hip and caressed the skin just under the hem of her shirt. "You're incorrigable." She moaned quietly. Rick's mouth continued its assault.

"Can't help it." He murmured against her neck. "You do this to me. Only you."

Kate felt a moistening between her legs begin at his words. She'd never met a man who could turn her on so much with one sentence. She shifted in her seat when his fingers began to move up her spine. She silently thanked God that, when Rick had suggested they sit down somewhere, it was a more secluded part of the terminal.

"Rick," She growled, tugging his hair lightly. "Not here." Rick pulled away, a sheepish look on his face, and tugged her out of her seat.

Kate followed him down the terminal and found herself being pulled into the nearest bathroom. She was prepared to protest, but the words died in her throat when he pulled her into the stall, threw the lock, and pressed her against the door. Rick's eyes were clouded with a desire that scorched through Kate as if she had been struck by lightning.

"Kate," He whispered, their breath mingling in between them. "You're incredible. Don't forget that. Not ever." He said, brushing a strand of her hair out of her eyes. She had no idea how to respond, other than the grateful smile that she gave him. In the next second, his insistant lips were on hers, making her forget every insecurity she had about him.

His teeth nipped at her lips, teasing and toying with her, his tongue sweeping through the caverns of her mouth. Rick's calloused hand wrapped around her thigh and wrapped it around his waist, thrusting his hips against hers. He ground himself roughly against her, his hardness pulsing against her. Kate moaned loudly, throwing her head back against the door and clawing his back.

Rick reached in between them and undid both of their jeans quickly. He shoved their pants lower and began to position himself at Kate's entrance, but she stopped him.

"Slower, baby. We've got time." She moaned into his ear, reaching down and running her hand down his length slowly. A vicious shudder rippled through his body and he dropped his forehead to her shoulder.

"God, Kate, you sure know how to stop a man in his tracks." He chuckled breathlessly as she continued moving her hand rhythmically. His hips bucked into her hand and a moan ripped from his throat. Rick reached between them and began rubbing circles on her clit with his thumb, causing Kate to gasp loudly. "Enough teasing." He growled, biting her ear roughly and tugging it before running his tongue over the shell of it. He lifted her shirt over her head, tossing it on the floor, and her bra quickly followed. Rick flicked his tongue against Kate's nipples before closing his teeth over them and drawing a moan from her.

He slid into her in one smooth thrust, he swallowed her loud moans by covering her lips with his own once again. Rick pulled himself to that almost his entire length had slipped out of her, and then thrust forward, filling her once again. They fell into a delicate rhythm, her hips matching his, their bodies moving gracefully together.

Kate couldn't recall any other lover that she had who made her feel as complete as Rick did. The groans and growls that he was emitting were enough to send her headlong towards the edge. She squeaked when he hooked his hands under her legs and lifted her completely off of the ground, both of her legs now hooked behind his back. Rick's breathing was nothing more than a series of sticatto pants in her ear, the air warm and wet with desire. She pressed one last kiss against his lips before the world shattered around them. He emptied himself into her as she clenched tightly around him.

They stilled for a moment, each of them coming down from a high that was indescribable. Rick chuckled against the skin of her throat.

"You know, I've never had made love in an airport bathroom before." Kate chuckled and pressed a sloppy kiss to his mouth. Their post-coital glow was shattered by the sound of the intercom.

_'Southwest Airlines flight 02384 with service from Los Angeles is now deboarding.'_ Rick's eyes widened and he set Kate on the ground quickly.

"Shit, that's Alexis' plane!" They dressed quickly and bolted down the terminal to her gate. When they reached the appropriate gate they took a moment to make sure all of their clothing was in the appropriate places and had mere seconds to breathe before a storm of red head rocketed out of the breezeway.

"Daddy!" Alexis squealed, launching herself into Rick's waiting arms. Kate hadn't even noticed him kneeling down.

"Hey, pumpkin!" Rick hoisted her into the air above his head and nuzzled his face into her stomach, blowing raspberries against her skin.

"Stop, daddy!" She giggled loudly, kicking her Sketchers shoes wildly. Rick chuckled, but he relented and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I missed you so much, pumpkin." He sighed, kissing the crown of her head.

"I missed you too, daddy."

"Alexis, I want you to meet someone." Rick winked at Kate, making her heart melt. "Lex, this is Kate Beckett." The redhead blinked familiar blue eyes at Kate before venturing over towards her and extending a tiny hand for Kate to shake.

"Hello, Kate Beckett. I'm Alexis Castle." Kate laughed at the formality from someone so young.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Alexis Castle." The girl eyed her cautiously for a moment before speaking.

"Are you daddy's new girlfriend?" Rick choked on his own breath and Kate's eyes grew wide.

"I'm..."

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_** *Innocent smile* Reviews? Pretty please? They make the ideas for the next chapter come faster :P Much love, J.R.**_


	9. Chapter 9: If The Bulls Don't Kill Me

_** This chapter is dedicated to **__**haha8248**__** who gave me a review that almost left me speechless: "I don't think anyone but you could make a western Castle fic work. Is it definitely in my top three. :D Can't wait for more!" Thank you so much! Hope this chapter is up to everyone's standards :)**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and all of its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC.**_

_** Playlist for this chapter:**_

_** "The Fever" by Garth Brooks**_

_** "The Day Before You" by Rascal Flatts**_

_** "How I Got To Be This Way" by Justin Moore**_

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__"I'm...well, I'm..." Kate stammered, attempting to find the right words to answer the girl's question. Rick's warm gaze met her's over Alexis' head, trying to get a read on what she was going to say. When she greeted him with a confused look, he put his hand on Alexis' shoulder.

"Kate is a very good friend of mine, Alexis. She means a lot to me. You'll love her, I'm sure." He said, nudging Alexis forward. The girl seemed to contemplate what they had said before shrugging and turning back to Rick.

"We need to go pick up my bag, daddy." She said, tugging on both of their hands. "Don't forget, like last time." She sighed and started skipping down the terminal.

"You forgot her bag last time?" Kate quirked an eyebrow at him. Rick sighed and linked their hands together, twining his fingers with hers.

"In my defense, I had a major concussion, I was late for my rodeo that night, and her mother was on the phone running her mouth." He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arm around her waist. Kate smiled at how easily they all fit together.

"That's your story and you're sticking to it, huh?"

"Damn straight." He chuckled, pressing his lips to the crown of her head. They reached the baggage claim and watched as Alexis inspected all of the bags. Kate saw a large, pink rolling suitcase slide onto the carousel. Kate pointed it out to Rick. He and Alexis skipped over to the side of the carousel and attempted to hoist it off.

"They're adorable." An elderly woman smiled, touching Kate's shoulder lightly.

"I'm sorry?"

"You're husband and daughter. They're beautiful. You're very lucky."

"Oh, there...thank you." Kate smiled, deciding to not try explaining her relationship with Rick and Alexis to this poor old woman. She walked away at the same time that the two objects of her affection walked up to her. Alexis was now perched on Rick's back, his cowboy hat on her head, and his hair was mussed adorably.

She chuckled and brushed the unruly locks of hair into place. Her heart skipped a beat when he caught her wrist in his hand and he placed a kiss to her palm. He winked and started towards the exit, hauling Alexis' suit case behind him. Kate, sighed, shook the butterflies from her stomach, and followed them to the truck.

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__The large truck rumbled over the gravel that served as Rick's driveway and Kate laughed as she watched an anxious Alexis squirm in her seat. As soon as the truck was in park, the tiny spitfire was sprinting across the front lawn.

"Uncle Ryan! Tio Javi!" She squealed as the boys emerged from the house and she was immediately engulfed in hugs from both of them. Kate slowly got out of the truck, and crossed her arms over her chest. She couldn't take her eyes off of the girl, she was beautiful, and perfect, and sweet. She was everything that she could hope that her daughter would be. She couldn't stop herself from imagining a girl with her brown curls and Rick's intoxicating eyes.

He stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"She's wonderful, Rick." Kate whispered. She could feel Rick smile against her skin.

"Yeah, she's a keeper." He murmured. "I'm sorry about her popping that question on you at the airport. I know we haven't really discussed that, and I know you're going to be leaving after the finals, and you probably don't-." She pressed a kiss to his mouth, silencing his furvant rambling.

"It's okay, Rick. I understand." She laughed. He kissed the tip of her nose and they began walking towards the house. "So..." She started, chewing on her bottom lip, unsure of how to form the words for what she wanted to say.

"So?"

"What _is_ what we're doing?" She asked. Rick stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, his hands settling on her hips.

"What do you want it to be?" He searched her eyes with his, trying to get a read on what she was thinking.

"I'm not sure. I love being around you, and the boys, and Alexis. But, after the finals I...I'll have to go back to New York. My job is there." She sighed, ghosting her fingers over his jaw. "But I...Rick," She took a breath. "I wish I could just stay here with you guys forever, and that terrifies me because I've only known you for a few days."

"Kate, you don't need to make this anything that you don't want it to be just because my daughter wants to know your intentions with me." He chuckled, squeezing her against his chest.

"Rick, I want this. I want everything about this. The kid, the house, the rodeo life. You. I want you." She muttered, kissing him passionately. Her tongue swirled over his bottom lip, drawing a moan, though she wasn't sure which on eof them it came from. They both pulled away when Esposito let out a sharp whistle.

"Hate to break up the moment, but we're gonna be late for practice if we don't leave now, Sarge."

"Shit, I almost forgot that we have practice tonight. Would you come?" He asked shyly.

"Of course." Kate smiled. "It will give me a chance to bond with Alexis." Kate smiled, glancing over at the girl.

"Awesome. Alright, everyone, get in the truck! We gotta go!"

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__Kate and Alexis were seated in the stands waiting for Rick to go on his last ride of the practice, a bucket of popcorn and a large soda between them. Alexis' bubbly laughter filled the arena. They had been discussing Kate's childhood and Alexis' trip to visit her mother.

"Did you get into trouble when the teacher found out that it was you that gave the boy a bloody lip?" Alexis giggled, throwing some popcorn into her mouth.

"Yeah, I had to stay for detention after school for quite some time after that." She chuckled. "But, he deserved it. He was picking on my best friend and pulled her pig tails while we were in class."

"Daddy says that when a boy pulls a girls hair or pushes her down it's because he likes her." Alexis replied, eyeing Kate and waiting for a response. Kate laughed.

"Well, that makes a lot of sense. They're married now that we're all grown up." Kate glanced down to the area behind the chutes and caught a glimpse of Rick leaning on the fence and talking to one of the other riders. He saw her looking at him and shot her a wink and a devastating smile. She felt her insides turning to mush, and her face flushed.

"Are you in love with my dad, Kate?" Alexis asked, causing Kate to spit to the soda that she had just drank onto the bleachers in front of her.

"What?" She squeaked, wiping her mouth quickly.

"I was wondering if you love my dad. I see the way you look at him. Dad gets that look when he cares a lot about something. And I could hear it in his voice when he would talk about you on the phone." Rick had told Alexis about her when he had talked to her on the phone? When had that happened? She thought a moment, taking another long drink from the Coke. Did she love Rick? She certainly felt more for him than she ever had for any other man and she had only known him a couple of days. He could make her smile simply by looking at her, or walking into a room and she felt safer when he was around. The man had risked his life to kill a mountain lion to save her, and he when they made love he worshipped ever inch of her like it was a gift from God.

Then, of course, there was the fact that she called what they did 'making love' instead of her customary 'fuck' or 'slept together'. Oh yeah, she was in a total other playing field with him. He invaded every part of her life so quickly that it was making her head spin.

"I care a lot about your dad, Lex. He means quite a bit to me." She finally replied, brushing a strand of red hair out of the girl's face. Alexis nodded slowly, but didn't ask anymore questions, seemingly content with her answer at that moment.

"Daddy's up!" She squealed, pointing to the chute where Rick was climbing on top of a black bull. Kate squinted at the animal, and even from their place in the first row of bleachers, she could see the sheer enormity of the bull. Rick adjusted his ropes, moved up on the animal, and pulled his hat down tighter. He glanced up at Kate quickly before nodding at the chute boys.

The bull exploded out of the chute, bucking wildly underneath him. Kate's eyes grew wide when the bull's feet came a good three feet off of the ground. Saliva slung around the corral from the bull's mouth as he bellowed loudly, attempting to throw him from his back. She was suprised when he, in fact, flew from the animal's back and hit the dirt with a loud _thud_. The bull reeled on him and lowered his head. He scratched at the dirt and snorted. Rick attempted to scramble to his feet to escape the corral, but the bull was faster. He ran at Rick, using the enormous muscles in his neck to throw the man in the air as if he was weightless. Rick flailed in the air, flipping himself around and extending his arms to brace himself for impact with the ground.

The rodeo clowns herded the bull into the loading chute, but Kate's gaze remained fixed on Rick. He stumbled to his feet, wobbling slightly, and motioned for Ryan and Esposito. Before the boys could make it across the corral to him, he collapsed back to the dirt, staring at the sky and trying to make sense of what had just happened. The last thing that Rick heard before his eyelids fluttered closed and darkness overcame him was Alexis' blood curdling scream.

"_Daddy!"_

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	10. Chapter 10: I Know You're Gonna Be There

-1 _**109 Reviews? You guys are by far the greatest readers in the world. I love you guys to death! Ah! Anyway, I'm sorry that it has taken so long to post this. My boyfriend had a disagreement with the porch stairs and ended up breaking his arm in four places, and one thing lead to another, which ended with me not being able to write anything. Sigh. So, here's chapter 10 anyway :)**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and all of its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC.**_

_** Play list for this chapter: **_

_** "I Know You're Gonna Be There" by Luke Bryan**_

_** "Unstoppable" by Rascal Flatts**_

_** "Fact-Fiction" by Mads Langer**_

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__The rodeo clowns cleared the way, and Kate's line of vision was almost instantly crowded with a swarm of paramedics. She struggled to catch a glimpse of Rick to see what was happening. Alexis had her hand in a vice-grip, the young girl's freckled face covered in salty tears.

"Kate," She choked on a sob. "Is daddy going to be okay?" Her blue eyes met Kate's troubled green ones.

"I'm sure he's going to be just fine sweetheart." Kate tried to ease the girl's mind. She met Esposito's eyes as he bounded up the bleachers towards them.

"Hey, Lex." He said softly, crouching down to pick the girl up into his arms. "Your gram is outside waiting for you, okay? She's going to take you home and she'll bring you to see daddy later, is that okay?" Alexis sniffled loudly and wiped her nose. The tall, thin man with the handle bar moustache from earlier took her hand and led her out to meet Rick's mother.

Kate watched her walk away and then switched her gaze back to Esposito. His brown eyes searched her face for a moment before she spoke.

"Javier," She started, her voice shaking with barely contained tears. "Is he going to be okay? Tell me he's going to be alright." She swallowed a sob.

"He's...they don't know anything yet, Kate. He's going to the emergency room, they have an ambulance outside. We need to go meet him there, I'm going to drive you. Okay?" He spoke to her as if she was a child that was going to have an emotional breakdown if he said the wrong word. Kate nodded numbly, allowing Esposito to take her hand and lead her to the parking lot where Ryan had pulled the truck around. Once they were both in the truck they took off towards the hospital, laying rubber on the asphalt.

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__"Who's here for Richard Castle?" A man in green scrubs and a white jacket asked, running a hand through his shaggy brown hair. Kate, Esposito and Ryan all stood and crossed to the man. "I'm Josh Davidson, I'm the on-call attending to Mister Castle." He shook all of their hands.

"Is he going to be okay?" Kate asked, the end of the sentence being clipped off with emotion.

"His injuries are severe, but given the events that led to this, I'm actual surprised that they aren't worse. He's got quite a few broken ribs, a fractured collar bone and a dislocated shoulder. He had fluid build up in his lungs, which is what caused him to pass out, but we were able to relieve the pressure."

"But he's going to be alright?" Ryan asked, leveling a questioning look at the doctor.

"Yes, he should make a full and speedy recovery. Now, he's awake and asking for a Kate Beckett. I can only allow on visitor at a time."

"I'm Kate." She replied, falling into step behind the doctor and starting down the hallway towards Rick's room. She turned just in time to catch and glimpse of Ryan burying his head into the crook of Esposito's neck, a sob quaking through his body, as they both sat on the waiting room couch. She made a mental note to ask Rick about it when he was feeling better, and then turned her focus to the door that Josh was holding open. He gestured for her to enter and closed the door behind her, leaving them alone. Kate's breath caught when she pushed past the curtain and saw Rick finally.

He was attached to more monitors then she could count, had an oxygen tube hooked into his nose, and the color was completely gone from his face.

"Hey, babe." He rasped, wincing as he sat up in the bed and motioned for her to sit next to him with the arm that wasn't in a sling. "You look terrible, are you okay?" He asked, concern lacing his voice. Kate barked out a laugh.

"I should be asking you that. Rick, I..." She paused, searching for the right words that she wanted to use. Her laced his fingers with hers and squeezed gently, reassuring her that he was indeed alive.

"I know, Kate. I'm sorry that you had to see that. I never meant for the ride to go wrong." He finished her thought for her, as if he could read her mind.

"Rick, there's no way that you could have known that this was going to happen. Don't blame yourself." She sat on the bed next to him. Rick tugged her towards him and gestured for her to lay down. She complied easily and tucked her head into his bare chest, mindful of where the bandages were wrapped around his ribs.

"How's Alexis?" He asked, his voice rumbling his chest and reverberating through her brain.

"She's okay, she went with your mother before we came here. Esposito told her that she would see you later. She was worried, but I told her that you were going to be okay. I knew you would be." She lifted her head to look into his confused face. "You're too strong to let one little set back get you. Well," She paused. "That and you're definitely too stubborn for that." Rick let out a reserved chuckle and Kate watched the wince that flitted across his face. "I'm sorry that you're not going to be able to ride in the finals." She kissed his chest.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that there's no way you can ride in this condition." She vaguely gestured to his body.

"Babe, by the time the first night roles around I'll be tip top." He grinned at her. "I'm a cowboy, darlin'. We may bruise bad, but we heal quick." He brought her hand to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. Kate smiled at him and ran her hand through his hair, grimacing when she felt a large bump. "It's okay, it seems worse than it feels." There he went reading her mind again. She smirked again, burying her face in his neck.

"I know it is, I was just scared. I've never been that scared of anything in my life, Rick. I thought I'd lost you. When you," She took a deep breath. "When you fell to the ground, my heart stopped beating." Her hot tears slid down his neck when she was no longer able to contain them.

"I'm so sorry, Katie." He whispered, pulling her closer to his body with his good arm. "I promise I'll be more careful in Vegas."

"Good," Kate pressed a kiss to the bottom of his jaw, her lips skating over the dark purple bruises that were painted across his skin. "Because you can't exactly keep your promise to have my back if you go and get yourself killed. And I'm growing quite attached to you, Mister Castle."

"The feeling is mutual, Miss Beckett." He grinned and kissed her chastely on the lips. "And for the record? I do have your back. _Always_." He whispered in her ear softly. Kate felt a blush creep up her neck.

"Always.

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_** I apologize for this chapter being so incredibly short, but I have a lot of plans for the next chapter that I need to keep together and didn't want to put them in this one because they'd seem out of place. Please review, I wanna hear what y'all think :P love you guys! -J.R.**_


	11. Chapter 11: One Ride In Vegas

_**So, for any of my fellow East Coast-ers that are preparing for Hurricane Irene, I feel your pain. I am so nervous about this damn storm that it's not even funny! Sigh. Anyway, here is the next installment of Rodeo, hopefully it will get all of you through the storm and the aftermath :)**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and all of its character belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC.**_

_** Play list for this chapter:**_

_** "Harder To Breathe" by Maroon 5**_

_** "Sex Therapy" by Robin Thicke**_

_** "Kiwi" by Maroon 5**_

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__The week that led up to the first round of the finals in Las Vegas was a blur of phone calls, interviews with bull riders, and arranging information for the article for Kate. She hadn't really even had time to see Rick during the day light hours, but they had fallen into an easy rhythm once the sun set.

They would meet up in the kitchen when their stomachs began to rumble, they'd cook dinner together, tuck Alexis into bed after they all finished eating, do the dishes and then fall into bed together, falling asleep before their heads even hit the pillow.

'Absence makes the heart grow fonder', that was what Kate was using to rationalize the feelings that were coursing through her at a hundred miles an hour while they waited in line for security at the airport. Rick pulled the belt from his belt loops and placed it into the plastic bucket along with his shoes and the contents of his pockets.

She felt a flush of heat sweep up her face, and a similar heat pooling between her legs. They moved through security, walking slowly through the metal detectors and grabbing all of their belongings again. Rick shot her a sexy wink as he placed his hat on his head, the black felt Stetson obscuring her view of his fiery blue eyes. The only response that Kate could muster was to shake her head disapprovingly at him, a small smile playing on her lips.

She led the way down the corridor towards their gate, making sure to sway her hips seductively as she walked. She could almost feel his eyes on her as she moved. Kate liked the feminine power that came over her when she was able to turn Rick on so easily.

They reached their gate and took seats in the uncomfortable seats, choosing the two seats farthest in the corner. Ryan and Esposito had agreed that they would meet Rick and Kate in Las Vegas, and Alexis would meet them with Rick's mother the day before the first run.

Rick pulled out his phone and was scrolling through old emails and games when he felt Kate's fingers skate over the inside of his thigh. He let a low moan escape his throat when she brushed the heel of her hand over the crotch of his jeans.

"Kate," He sighed in response to her continued ministrations to his groin. She watched as his jeans began to tighten and his body began to respond to her touch. She leaned over and took his ear between her teeth, placing his carry on bag in his lap to obscure anyone from seeing her hand. Her tongue flicked over the shell of his ear and she let out a breathy sigh against his skin. "What are you doing?" He moaned when he found his voice again.

"I need you, Rick." She replied, biting his neck roughly. "I've been thinking about how much I want you since we left the ranch this morning. It's been so tough all week, seeing you and being so close to you without being able to do this." She emphasized the last word by giving him a squeeze through his jeans. Rick moaned and bucked into her hand. "When we get on the plane and are allowed to walk around, I'm going to get up and go to the bathroom. Wait a few minutes and then follow me." With that she broke all contact with him completely and went back to reading.

"You're a tease, woman." Rick sighed, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths to try to calm himself. They waited in silence until the attendant finally announced over the intercom that they would be boarding.

Rick practically ran through the line and found their seats near the back of first class. Kate sat next to him, lacing her hand with his and smirked at the concentrated look on his face. She allowed her fingers to trail patterns over the palm of his hand, sending tingles from his hand to his groin.

She glanced down at the hardness that was poking at the zipper of his jeans and felt herself starting to warm again. The pilot came onto the PA system and announced that they were ready to take off, and Kate smiled. There wasn't much longer until she'd have him.

The plane continued its vertical ascent until it reached cruising altitude and leveled out. The captain came over the PA once again and informed them that they were now allowed to freely move about the cabin, and Kate got up almost immediately and headed towards the bathroom. Rick watched the 'occupied' sign light up and the stared at his watch, waiting for the right moment to follow her.

He waited five minutes and then unbuckled, heading for the bathroom. Rick knocked on the door lightly, whispering her name through the metal door. She opened it, reached out, and drug him into the bathroom by his shirt collar.

Shutting the door behind them, she slammed his body against the wall, grinding her hips powerfully against his. Rick couldn't suppress the sultry groan that she pulled from him when she shoved her hand into his pants and ran her thumb over his engorged tip.

"God, you're so hard for me already, Rick." She spoke directly into his ear, deciding that the 'straight forward and seductive' lingo was best for their situation. "All I could think about when we were waiting in that line was how much I wanted to feel you inside of me right at that moment. Prove me wrong, Ricky. Blow all of my fantasies out of the water." She said, sinking her teeth into the soft flesh of his shoulder. Rick wound his arms around her and spun them so that her back was against the small sink. He trusted his hips forward and ground his hips into her, the teeth on their zippers scraping against each other.

"God, I've missed the feel of your body, Kate." He murmured, stripping her shirt over her head and trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses across her shoulder. His tongue flicked over the salty skin over her pulse point, feeling her erratic heart beat.

She moaned, his Stetson falling to the small counter top as she buried her fingers into his soft hair. His mouth moved to the hollow at the base of her throat, his lips, tongue, and teeth teasing the skin there. She pulled his head back and unbuttoned his shirt frantically, pushing it off his shoulders onto the ground. Her hands roamed the planes of his chest, and moved down his stomach to toy with the light peppering of hair just below his belly button.

When she looked back into his eyes, the normal blue color was gone and had been replaced with the black of his pupils that were blown wide with desire. They both seemed to pause a moment, staring into one another's eyes, before their lips met in a passionate kiss that rivaled anything they'd ever felt. Rick's tongue flitted across her bottom lip and she opened to him immediately. They battled for dominance, their tongues and lips colliding heatedly.

Rick reached down and lifted Kate so that she was sitting on the small counter in the bathroom, one leg wrapped around his waist and the other foot planted against the wall. She slid her hand between them and undid the button and zipper on both of their jeans, pushing them to the floor. Kate ran her hands up the back of Rick's thighs, her nails scraping over the inside of his thigh. His hips bucked forward, their heat brushing against each other and drawing moans from both of them.

Kate closed her hands around his hardness and began pumping her fingers up and down his length slowly, squeezing him lightly. He dropped his forehead to her shoulder, his breath coming in short gasps, and his hand fisting in her hair. He moaned loudly when her fingers brushed over his tip again. He clamped his mouth around her ear, his teeth scraping over the sensitive flesh.

"I need you. Now." He snarled, plunging his fingers inside her wetness and curling them upward. Kate muffled a scream into his chest, her teeth closing on his skin. His hand pumped in and out of her quickly, bringing her to the brink and just as she began to clench around his fingers he withdrew them, causing her to whimper against his sweat slicked skin. Rick brought his hand to his mouth and swiped his tongue over his fingers, tasting the tang of her on him and watched Kate's eyes darken.

Kate wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, anchored her hands around his neck and slid down the length of him. Rick moaned as he nails dug into the flesh of his shoulders, her head thrown back in ecstasy. Their breath came as short, quick pants when Rick found a steady rhythm and rocked his hips into hers, thrusting quickly and deeply. The coil within him began to tighten when he felt Kate clenching around him. Feral growls tore from his throat when she reached down and began rubbing her clit in circles. He reached a hand up and roughly pinched her nipple, rolling it between his fingers.

"I'm gonna, oh," She sighed, her hips thrusting down to meet each of his movements. She kissed him sloppily, their tongues tangling together. When they parted, she leaned back to rest her head on the mirror, her hand still rubbing circles. His thrusts became stuttered and seemingly out of no where their orgasms hit them, causing both of them to cry out.

They stilled for a moment, lazily kissing one another, before slowly parting and cleaning up. Rick stole a shy glance at Kate when she bent over to pick up her pants. Kate looked over at him and shook her head disapprovingly. Rick shrugged his shoulders innocently and got dressed. Kate placed a kiss on his lips, and his hands settled on her hips, his thumbs brushing teasing circles over her hip bones.

All to soon she pulled away and dug around in her jeans pocket, exclaiming 'aha' and producing a piece of paper. She pressed it into the palm of his hand, kissed his temple and walked out of the restroom.

Rick sighed loudly and took a moment to collect his thoughts, finish dressing and plop his hat on his head before he looked at the paper. He barked out a laugh at the crude drawing of an airplane and her elegant script on the crumpled paper.

_'Welcome to the Mile High Club, Mister Castle. 3'_

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	12. Chapter 12: Requiem for the man

_**Hello readers :) I apologize for keeping you all waiting so long for this update, but I've been insanely busy lately. I will also be posting the next chapter of "Assassin's Ball" as soon as I write that...no idea when that will be... Anyway, here's the next chapter of Rodeo.**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and all of its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC.**_

_** Playlist for this chapter:**_

_** "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down**_

_** "Anthem for the Underdog" by 12 Stones**_

_** * "If I Can Just Hold On" by PBR Allstars**_

_** *- I am going to put an author's note in this chapter, when you get to that I would like all of you to look up this song (iTunes works best) and listen to it while you finish reading the chapter. Please? Pretty please?**_

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__The Thomas and Mack Center was bigger than any other arena Kate had ever been in. She was in awe of the sheer enormity of it. She and Rick walked through the area near the chutes hand in hand, side stepping around other cowboys and saddles. His hand tightening around hers brought her out of her dazed state.

"You okay? You seem like you disappeared on me for a second there." He chuckled, slinging his arm over her shoulder and dropping a kiss on her forehead.

"I'm fine. This is all just so...well...it just _is_. It's wonderful, Rick." She wound her arms tighter around his waist and laid her head on his chest naturally. She sighed contentedly as he skated his hands over her shoulders, rubbing the muscles at the back of her neck gently.

"It's quite the place, isn't it?" His voice was soft and warm against her ear as he spoke, causing a shiver to run through her.

"Yes it is. And you've earned the right to be here." She placed a gentle kiss to the bottom of his jaw. Rick smiled warmly down at her.

"I lo..." Rick was cute off by a high pitched squeal from somewhere behind them. They turned just in time for a red haired bottle rocket to wrap Kate in a bruising hug.

"Kate!" Alexis squealed, giggling when Kate grabbed the girl under her arms and tossed her in the air.

"Hey there, little one!" She smiled, her heart warming. "How was your flight?"

"Good!" The girl beamed when Kate settled her back onto the ground. "I got to going into the cockpit and the captain gave me this!" She exclaimed, pulling her shirt out and showing Kate a pair of plastic wings.

"Isn't that cool!" Kate chuckled, ruffling her hair and tucking Alexis' tiny hand into her own. "You want to go get a soda so that your daddy can get ready to ride?" Alexis nodded enthusiastically. "Okay, you go see your grandma and I'll meet you guys over there." Alexis smiled, kissed Rick's cheek and skipped to where Martha was waiting.

"You're so good with her." Rick's deep voice rumbled from behind her as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"She's easy to be good with. You've got a great kid, Rick." She turned in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his. When she pulled back he whimpered in protest and pulled her back to him. Kate laughed against his lips. "Rick, I need to take Alexis to get soda, I'll be back."

Rick placed one last kiss to her lips, his tongue snaking into her mouth and toying with hers. The kiss had her head spinning, her knees weak, and rendered her speechless with in the few seconds that it lasted. All too soon he was pulling away and sliding his hand into her back pockets, tucking a twenty dollar bill there.

"Grab me a Coke." He lightly tapped her ass and walked away, swinging his hips and throwing a wink over his shoulder. She stood, mouth agape, for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Alexis' hand on her shirt shook her out of the thousands of dirty images running through her mind.

"Hey, sweetie. You ready?" She smiled, linking her hand with the girl.

"Yeah. Can I get a lemonade?" Alexis asked, swinging their hands between them.

"Of course you can." Kate replied, whipping the money out of her back pocket. "Daddy's paying." The girls were in hysterics by the time they made it to Martha.

"There you are, darling." Martha smiled at Kate, patting Alexis' head. "Where are we off to, ladies?"

"I want lemonade." Alexis smiled, linking her free hand with Martha's and leading them towards the concessions pavillion.

"Then lemonade you shall have, my dear!" Martha exclaimed, causing them to fall into another fit of laughter as a giant, neon hamburger came into view.

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__"Next up is defending world champion, Richard Castle riding One Eyed Jack!" The announcer boomed and Kate couldn't help but smile at the sound of the crowd going wild. She stood behind Rick's chute, accompanied by Alexis and Martha, as well as Ryan and Esposito. The boys were standing on the rungs of the bucking chute, leaning over and helping Rick settle onto the massive brindle bull underneath him.

_**(A/N please begin listening to 'If I Can Just Hold On' by PBR Allstars)**_

"Alright, Sarge. This boy's a mean ol' devil. He's gonna burst out then he's gonna go left. You hang on tight and keep your seat on him and you should be just fine." Esposito said, his hand resting on Rick's shoulder. Ryan held a rope in front of Rick and allowed him to get a grip before they wrapped his hand in tightly.

"Stay up on him, Boss. Don't want any repeat performances, right?" Ryan chuckled, patting Rick on the back, drawing a smile and nod from him. Kate knew that he was still in pain. He may not have admitted it, but she saw it in the reserved way that he walked, and the way that he cradled his arm to his body carefully. "Alright, we're good to go. You ready, Boss?" She watched Rick take in a deep breath and nod his head enthusiastically.

"Okay, boys! Okay, boys!" He bellowed. The chute gate opened and the bull exploded into the arena. The animal moved with a gracefulness that Kate had thought was impossible for something that sized. He kicked and turned, almost as if moving in some sort of twisted ballet. The man atop him was just as graceful, and she would never get tired of watching the way that he shifted to move with the bull. She glanced over at where Ryan and Esposito had climbed to sit on the top rungs of the corral and were cheering loudly, waving their hats like mad men. She couldn't help but laugh at the spectical they were making of themselves.

The large LCD display hanging in the center of the arena read 8.0 and a buzzer screamed through the air. The crowd went wild, whistles and screeches echoing in her ears.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, that is by far the best ride we've seen today! Richard Castle is going to be tough to beat on that one!" The announcer said, excitement threaded through his voice. Rick dismounted and turned to face the bull, watching its every move. The rodeo cowboys attempted to herd him into the loading chute, but the bull would have none of that. Rick scrambled up the corral fence and flipped over to the chutes a few feet from where Kate was standing. He hustled over to her and wrapped her into a hug. He saw movement from Ryan out of the corner of his eye, but kept his gaze focused on the women in front of him, his hand snaking out to hold Alexis'. From somewhere to his left he heard a commotion and then Javier's voice shattered the eerie silence that had fallen over the crowd.

"_Kevin!"_ He screamed, vaulting over the corral, his boots hitting dirt and sprinting to the other man's side where he had fallen into the corral. Rick gasped when he realized that the bull must have tried to follow him when he jumped the fence and knocked Kevin into the dirt. Rick bolted over the fence and followed Esposito, his hand clutching Kevin's.

"Ryan, come on, man. Look at me, bro." He pleaded, placing his hand on the other man's cheek. "You're gonna be okay, Kev." He whispered, glancing at Esposito who had tears running down his face and was shaking uncontrollably. Rick glanced down at Ryan's torso and found a dark red hole and blood pooling on the dirt next to him.

"I'm s-sorry, B-boss. I shoul-shouldn't have been on the fence." Kevin coughed and a small bubble of black blood escaped his mouth, staining his pearly white teeth red.

"Don't you do that. Don't you go dying on me Kevin Ryan. I ain't given you permission to die." Rick said, his voice choked with sobs.

"Javi, I just wa-want you to know that I l-love you. So much." He laced his pinky with the other man's. "Ti-il the wheels fall off." He whispered, placing a shaky kiss against Esposito's hand.

"Til the wheels fall off, Kev." Javier sobbed, placing a kiss on Kevin's lips. They were then shoved out of the way as EMT's swarmed the arena, hauling him onto stretchers and hooking him up to various machines.

The night in the hospital waiting room, waiting for news on his condition seemed to stretch into eternity, but when the doctor came out, his head bowed and he shook it slightly, Javier burst through the Emergency Room doors, evading security officers and doctors until he found Kevin's room, throwing the door open.

His heart sunk when he saw the cold, pale skin that once held so much life. He hit his knees, burying his head in his hands and he cried. He sobbed as hard as he could for a love that he'd lost. Rick's arms were around his shoulders, pulling him into his chest and allowing him to cry. The last sound that he heard was the ominous 'beep' of the flatline until the doctor shut it off and covered the man that was Kevin Ryan with a sheet for the last time.

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	13. Chapter 13: I Feel Like A Monster

_** Hello, ladies and gents. I understand that some people were upset with me killing off Ryan in the last chapter (trust me I feel a little guilty about it every time I see one of Seamus' tweets), but it was necessary for this chapter. Also, for those of you that were confused as to when exactly Kate and Martha met for the first time, rest easy, you guys will get to see it in the next chapter. With this fic I'm gonna have to go out on a limb and ask you guys to trust me :) much love to all of you, hope you enjoy this chapter. Feel free to follow me on Twitter: Lyoung_09**_

_** xJ.R.**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and all of its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC.**_

_** Playlist for this chapter:**_

_** "Monster" by Skillet**_

_** "Til Summer Comes Around" by Keith Urban**_

_** "The Last Goodbye" by David Cook**_

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Esposito took a shuddering breath as he leaned on the railing of the balcony, overlooking the valley below him. He had escaped the reception after Ryan's funeral finally, after having been assaulted by lines of people waiting to give their condolenses. It was all very overwhelming for him. The service had been extremely long, and he had cursed Ryan for being Irish Catholic more times than he cared to count. He loosened his tie, not even bothering to look behind him when he heard the door to the balcony open again.

Rick walked slowly over to him, mirroring his stance against the railing. He stared out over the night sky, glancing at the lights that dotted the black horizon.

"You doing alright?" He said after they were silent for a long while. "I know that probably wasn't easy, but you handle it well." Esposito scoffed at his statement.

"What do you mean I handled it well? I hid in the bathroom for twenty minutes crying, I've been attempting to avoid contact with anyone, and I can barely breathe. How the hell is that handling it well?" His voice was strong and venomous.

"Look, Espo, I know how hard this is but-."

"You know how hard this is, huh?" Esposito reeled on his, his brown eyes scorching a hole through Rick. "How exactly is that, Castle? You ever had to watch someone that you love be lowered into the ground?" Castle stared in stunned silence. "Answer the _fucking_ question, Castle!" Esposito's anger seeped from every inch of his skin.

"You best mind who you're speaking to that way, Esposito. I know that this is a tough day for you, but I will be _damned_ if you will speak to me that way." Anger boiled through Rick, his eyes imitating the seething fire that was in Esposito's.

"And why should I do that? Cause you're my boss? We're not at work now, Rick. I can speak to you any way that I damned well please, and right now, I think that you're attitude about this situation requires that I put you in your place." The men were nose to nose by the time that Esposito had finished his sentence.

"No, you should mind who you're speaking to that way because I outrank you, Esposito. If this was happening back in the war zone I'd have your ass in front of the board so fast that it would make your head spin."

"That's where you're confused, _Sargeant_. This ain't the war any more, Rick. This is the real world, and the sooner that you stop reliving the glory days, the sooner you can join the rest of us and see that we just buried a good man. And it's my fault that he's six feet under, Castle." Tears welled in his eyes as he spoke, his fists balled into Rick's shirt tightly. "It's my fault." He let his hands drop to his sides and let out a defeated sigh. "I remember when Ryan and I came out to you, I was so damn scared that you were going to turn your back on us. Not that I would have blamed you much. I remember everything that they taught us in the military. But you didn't. You shook our hands, and told us that you were happy that we'd found each other. You were so God damned accepting, Sarg." He let out a sadistic chuckle.

"Espo, I-."

"Let me finish." He interrupted, holding his hand out in front of his face. "I wish that you hadn't been so accepting, Rick. I wish you would have yelled. Or at least been pissed off. Something that would have made me mad enough to leave. Then I wouldn't have lost Ryan." He growled, turning his gaze back to the night sky.

"I don't think that I'm going to finish out the finals this year." Rick sighed and placed a hand on the other man's shoulder, but he was caught off guard when Esposito reeled on him and his fist connected with Rick's cheek.

Rick stumbled back a few feet before he regained his footing, his hand coming up to touch the tender flesh of his cheek. He could already feel the swelling beginning around his eye, and the warm trickle of blood down his face told him that Esposito had broken skin.

"Don't you _dare_ do this. Don't you try to blame Ryan's death for you being too much of a coward to ride the rest of the series. You know why you don't want to ride? Because as soon as the finals are done, you know that Kate is going to be on a plane back to New York and you're never going to see her again. I understand that, I know that since Meredith you've been afraid to let anyone in. But don' be, Kate's a good woman, Rick. Let her love you. But don't you pin this on Ryan, he doesn't deserve it and neither do I." Esposito wiped a hand across the back of his mouth, straightened his suit jacket, tightened his tie and went back into the reception, leaving Rick staring after him.

He stood, rubbing his tender face, for a few moments before the doors opened once again and Kate stepped out into the night air. She looked stunning in her black, silk dress. It had a slit in the side to half way up her thigh and was proving to be both classy and erotic at the same time. Rick let his eyes fix on the ground, attempting to hide the deep purple bruising on the side of his face from her, but the hitch in her breath and her quickly paced steps toward him told him that it was already too late.

"What happened? I saw Esposito come inside and he said you were out here. Did he do this to you?" Rick nodded slowly before turning away from her to spit blood onto the concrete floor of the balcony.

"I deserved it. I told him that I was considering not finishing out the rest of the finals."

"How does that justify him hitting you? I know that this is hard for him but that doesn't give him a right to punch you." She took the white handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed the blood lightly, murmuring an apology when Rick hissed in pain.

"Because he told me not to put that on Ryan. And he's right, neither one of them deserve to be burdened with my own stupid fears." He sighed, covering her hand with his and grabbing her free hand so that he held both of them. "He told me that the reason I don't want to finish out the finals is because I know that as soon as they're finished you'll be on the next flight to JFK. I'll be damned if I ever say this again in this lifetime but, Esposito was right. I don't want to lose you, Kate. I saw how much Ryan meant to Esposito and how badly he's hurtin'. I don't want to take the chance of never getting to tell you how I feel about you. I know that we've only known each other just over a month now, but you've said it yourself, it feels like I've known you my entire life."

"Rick, I have to tell you something." She stammered, toying with a loose tendril of hair that had fallen from her pony tail.

"Let me finish first, Kate. I gotta get this out before I lose my nerve." He placed a kiss against her lips. "I love you, Kate Beckett. I know that me admitting that to you so soon may damned well send you hightailing it for the hills, but I think you need to know." He sighed and searched her eyes, attempting to get some sort of reaction from her. "Well?"

"Well, what?" She whispered, her voice shaky with emotion.

"Come on, Kate." He pleaded, his own eyes moist. "Please just say something. Anything at all. I just can't stand the silence." Kate took a deep breath and Rick steeled himself for the rejection that he was sure was about to follow.

"Rick, I..." She paused, allowing herself to look deeply into his eyes. He gave her hands a reassuring squeeze and she sighed once again before continuing. "Rick, I'm pregnant."

_** "It's hard to find the perfect time to say something**_

_**You know is gonna change everything."**_

_**~'Let It Rain' David Nail**_

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	14. Chapter 14: There Goes My Life

_**So, I really hope you all enjoy this chapter, and I hope that it lives up to expectations set by the end of chapter 13. I don't really have much else to say in the way of an author's note because I'm too excited to get to the actual chapter! Enjoy!**_

_** Also, props to **_**Tonya95**_** for catching the little nod to Captain Reynolds during the Castle/Esposito argument!**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and all of its characters are property of Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC.**_

_** Playlist for this chapter:**_

_** "Walk A Little Straighter" by Billy Currington**_

_** "There Goes My Life" by Kenny Chesney**_

_** "Soldier of Love" Sade (yup, that's a FLO shout out)**_

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__"Pre...you're...what?" Rick stammered, his eyes widening more than he had thought possible. "Kate." He whispered, letting himself slide down the wall until he was seated on the balcony, his hands hanging between his knees. Rick stared directly ahead of him, not exactly sure what he was thinking himself, let alone how to explain it to Kate.

He was in shock. Another child? Already? Alexis was only seven and, granted she had been a bit of a surprise as well, he had been far too young when she was born. However, Rick wouldn't change a thing about that little girl for anything in the world. He vaguely registered Kate shifting her weight between the balls of her feet uncomfortably but couldn't seem to bring himself to look at her until he had collected his thoughts.

"I didn't tell you to force you to stick around, or try to get money from you, Rick. I don't want you to think that." She whispered, toying with the fabric of her dress. "I just thought that you should know." Rick felt tears burning behind the lids of his eyes, and his heart felt as though it was going to beat right out of his chest. He suddenly felt uncomfortable in his own body. He didn't know how he was supposed to react to this, but he knew that Kate needed him to say something.

He took a deep breath, wiped the palms of his hands on his slacks, and pushed himself off of the ground. When he turned to face Kate he found that he was alone on the balcony, but he saw the large bay doors swinging shut and watched the tail end of her dress disappear back into the reception.

"Shit." He muttered and took off after her, his black leather boots plodding loudly on the polished wood floors. He skidded to a stop when he rounded a corner, looking in closets and empty conference rooms, calling her name quietly but he found nothing. Rick was on his way back into the spacious hall where the other guests were when he heard a soft sobbing sound coming from in the women's bathroom. He peeked around to make sure that he was alone before ducking into the restroom,

"Kate?" He whispered, cautiously walking further into the room.

"Go away, Rick." He heard her sniffle from inside one of the stalls. Glancing under the door he found her curled into the furthest corner of the last stall and he slid under the door. "Did you hear what I said? Get out." She said, but her voice held no malice or conviction, only saddness. Rick slid into place beside her, tucked his arms under her legs and behind her back, and pulled her into his lap. Kate wrapped her arms around his neck and Rick felt a fresh slew of hot tears running down the skin over his pulse point.

"Shh," He murmured, stroking her hair and placing gentle kisses to her temple. "It's alright, Kate. I've got you. I'm here." He whispered and he rocked her gently from side to side until the sobbing subsided. Kate sniffled loudly before pulling away from him just far enough that she could look into his face. "Better?" Rick's voice was soft and quiet in the sanctuary of the bathroom stall. Kate nodded subtly and she gave him a shy look.  
>"I'm sorry, Rick. I know we haven't been using protection, but I'm on the pill. I don't know how...oh, God, I'm just sorry." She said and Rick brushed away the single tear that fell down her cheek with the pad of his thumb.<p>

"Hey," He smiled lovingly at her. "It takes two to tango, so to speak, so I don't want to hear any apologies from you, little missy. This is as much my fault as it is yours. I'm usually very careful about things like this, but with you...I, well I'll be honest, Kate. The thought of not trusting you to be clean never crossed my mind." He brushed a strand of hair off her face.

"You're not mad?" She sniffled.

"Mad, no. Shocked? Surprised? Scared shitless? Hell yes. But I'm not mad, Kate. Are you?" He asked, concern suddenly filling him.

"No. I'm just scared, Rick." She let her fingers tangle into the hair at the base of his neck. "You know, your mother knew the first time she met me." She chuckled humorlessly.

"Really, now?" Rick quirked an eyebrow, urging her to explain, and Kate smirked as she went into the details.

_Rick had brought Martha home from the airport a few days after they had picked Alexis up. The woman was the spitting image of her granddaughter, and Kate vaguely wondered how Rick had such dark brown hair when the other two women were firey redheads. She made a mental note to ask him. _

_ "Well, hello dear." Martha wrapped a very surprised Kate into a gentle embrace as she waved Rick off with her bags. He rolled his eyes so that only Kate could see him, causing her to stifle a laugh, but took the bags upstairs with a smile reguardless. "You must be Katherine?"_

_ "You can call me Kate, Misses Castle." She smiled as the older woman released her from the hug, but held her at arms length by the shoulders._

_ "Oh, no, dear. It's Misses Rodgers actually. Richard changed his last name to Castle when he joined the military. He said that it sounded more like a soldier's last name. He always had been one for dramatics." _

_ "Only because I had a fantastic teacher, mother." Rick called from the top of the stairs. The women chuckled when they heard him stumble over, what they could only assume, was one of Martha's seemingly endless bags._

_ "He's only teasing." Martha waved her hand for Kate to follow her into the kitchen and the she set about pouring herself a glass of scotch from the decanter that was perched on the marble counter top. She set a glass of water in front of Kate. Kate looked at the scotch in the other woman's hand and scowled at her water. "You know it's frowned upon to drink while you're carrying, darling. That's how crazy people that ride bulls come about." Martha winked at her and Kate choked on the water that she was nursing._

_ "What? I no...no...I...why would you say that?" Kate stammered._

_ "You're glowing, dear. It's hard to hide that." Martha smiled, sipped her scotch and winced. "My, Richard never did skimp on buying scotch. That is good stuff." She chuckled before patting Kate's hand and leaning over to whisper in her ear. "Trust me, Kate. You are. And I couldn't be happier for you. You seem to be one of only three women in this world that can put that dopey grin on my son's face and that makes you alright in my book." With that, Martha was gone in a flash of red hair._

"Well, mother was always good at doing that to people." Rick chuckled when she finished telling him the story. Kate smiled and placed a chaste kiss to the side of his neck as she settled her head into his shoulder. "So," He took a deep breath. "Kate, I need you to be completely straight with me." Kate laced her fingers with his and drew absent patterns on his skin.

"Always." She murmured almost inaudibly. Rick smiled against her hair at the use of the word that had come to embody so much trust between them.

"Do you want this?"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning this baby. Me. Us. All of it."

"Do you?" She lifted her head and gazed into the pools that were his eyes.

"Of course I do. Kate, I've been in love with you since I saw you at the bar that first night. I've never tried to hide that from you. All I need to know is that you're going to be in this one-hundred percent with me. Can you do that?" He asked softly, cupping her face in one of his hands and running his thumb over her lip. Kate gnawed on her bottom lip nervously before her face broke into a grin.

"I'm ready to dive into this, Rick." He returned her smile and kissed her soundly, his hand running over her stomach lightly.

"I'm so glad to hear you say that." He said, his hand fishing in his jacket pocket. He pulled out a small velvet box, and Kate felt her breath catch before he even opened it. "Katherine Beckett, will you marry me?"

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	15. Chapter 15: Just A Kiss

_**I apologize for this chapter taking so long. My editor has been all over me for my deadlines and I've been super busy. **_

_** Anywho, without further procrastination, here is chapter 15.**_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and all its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC.**_

_** Playlist for this chapter:**_

_** "Just A Kiss" by Lady Antebellum**_

_** "Keeper of the Stars" by Tracy Byrd**_

_** "Mal's Song" by Vixy and Tony**_

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__She stared at him a moment, mouth agape as she searched for something to say.

"M-marry you?" She finally stammered.

"Kate, I'm not asking you to run to Vegas with me tonight. It's just a symbol of," He seemed to attempt to find the words he was looking for. "It's a symbol of someday." He finally said, pressing a kiss on her forehead. She subconciously pulled away from his touch and saw hurt flash across his face. He fixed his gaze on the floor next to him.

"It's just...this is all happening very fast, Rick." She sighed, resting her hand on his knee. He didn't look at her, but covered her hand with his own. "We've only known each other for a month."

"What does that matter?" His voice had gained a slight edge to it, and Kate could tell that this was going to get very heated very fast. "Hell, Kate, I knew the minute I saw you that you were something different."

"Castle-." She started to speak, but he extended his hand to stop her.

"Let me finish. You're something else, Kate. You're beautiful, you're funny, smart, sexy, good with my kid," She smiled at the mention of the little girl that had come to warm her heart so completely. "Compassionate, dedicated, and breathtaking. More than all of that, however, you're the wonderful woman that is the mother of my child. Now, I don't want you gettin' all righteous on me, darlin'. I ain't proposing to you 'cause I feel some compelling need to stick around cause you're pregnant. That ain't it at all. You're extraordinary, Katherine Beckett. And if you need me to wait for you to do the honor of being my wife, then I'll wait. You're worth it." Kate stared at him in stunned silence.

"I," She paused to take a shaky breath. "I need time, Rick." She cupped his cheek in her hand and brushed her thumb over his stubbed face.

"Is that a no?" He asked, crinkling his brow. She chuckled and pulled him into a passionate kiss. He groaned softly against her as his hand snaked up the back of her neck to tangle in her hair. When they pulled apart he eyed her cautiously. "Is that a yes?" Kate took the ring from him and slipped it onto the ring finger of her left hand.

"Here's to 'someday', Ricky." She smirked, helping him to his feet. Kate turned to walk out to the bathroom but his hand on her wrist stopped her. When she turned around the twinkle in his deep blue eyes brought a large smile to her face. "What?" She asked shyly, a blush creeping up her neck.

"Thank you." Rick pulled her flush against him and kissed her softly, their tongue languidly brushing against one another. When they pulled back Rick pressed a light kiss to her nose. "We should get back out there. Check on Esposito." They walked out of the bathroom, his hand tangled in hers, and back into where the rest of the crowd was.

Rick searched the room, looking for his friend. He saw the back of Esposito's head where the man was hunched over at the bar. His black, felt Stetson was settled solidly on the bar, and his hand was clutching a small, crystal whiskey glass. He lifted the glass to his lips with a shaky hand and drained it quickly, pouring another three fingers from the bottle that he'd obviously had the bar tender leave with him. Rick crossed the floor to him, Kate deciding to leave the men to their discussion and walked over to Martha.

Rick took a seat on the barstool next to Esposito, but Esposito didn't look at him.

"You know, Espo, you only break out the Jameson when you intend on getting so drunk I have to carry you inside. You know that, right?" Rick murmured, nudging the other man with his shoulder. Esposito chuckled lightly.

"Yeah, well, I don't want to remember much of tonight. Or any night after tonight for that matter." Rick put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing the tense muscles there. "I'm sorry that I punched you."

"I deserved it." Rick replied, motioning for the bartender to bring him a glass, and filling it with the amber whiskey.

"Maybe, but it wouldn't have been the way that Kevin would have wanted me to react to it. So, I'm sorry." The men were silent for a moment, an unspoken reverence between them. "I miss him, so much, Sarge." He whispered almost inaudibly. Rick downed the liquid in his glass, the alcohol burning all the way down his throat before pulling Esposito into a tight hug.

"I know you do, bro. And, I'm sure, where ever he is right now he's missing you too. But he wouldn't want you to end up like this, Espo. You have to know that. Drowning in the bottle is no way to grieve. I'm always going to be here for you if you need me. Okay?"

"You know it, bro. And you know it's hard for me to admit it, but I think I'm going to need you now more than I ever did over there." Rick nodded knowingly. There had always been an unspoken bond between the two of them. A reverence between soldiers that had been there since they graduated from boot camp together what felt like a lifetime ago.

"And I'll be there anytime you call, Javier." The men were silent for another moment before Esposito broke the silence.

"Thank you, Rick. For everything."

"Anytime, bud." Rick wrapped him in another tight hug before going off to find Kate.

When he spotted her among the sea of people, the breath left his lungs. She truly was stunning. The way that she moved was as graceful as any jungle cat he'd ever seen, the sinew of her muscles moving easily underneath her velvet skin. A heat pooled low in his groin as he smiled at the woman that had captivated him. She laughed loudly, the sound brightening up the dark mood of the funeral, and tossed her hair to one side. Her smile was radiant as she listened to, what he was sure was an extravagantly overdramatised version of one of his mother's stories.

He lifted his cell phone out of his jacket pocket and dialed the baby-sitter's number to check in on Alexis. After being reassured, more than once, that she was in fact sleeping soundly and was safe he headed over to where two of his three favorite women were still chatting.

"Well, hello ladies. There is laughter and joking between the two of you...should I be worried about the safety of my pride?" He smirked, kissing Martha on the cheek and wrapping his arm around Kate's waist.

"Oh, Richard, you know that all of my stories are nothing but dignified." Martha shot Kate a wink and patted her son's cheek before scooting off towards the dance floor.

"You two seem to be getting along rather well." Rick remarked as Kate turned into his embrace, his arms wrapping around her waist and hers linking around his neck. She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips and smiled.

"She's a nice woman. I really like her and we get along really well." She shrugged by way of an explination. "How's Esposito?"

"He's missing Ryan a lot, but that's to be expected. I told him that I'll always be here for him if he needs someone to talk to or if he needs someone to vent to." Rick sighed sadly, his forehead resting on hers and his eyes fluttering shut over his sea blue eyes. "But I think he'll be okay. He just needs time." Rick reached up and brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "You ready to get out of here?"

"If you are." She smiled, her fingers toying with his earlobe lightly. Rick moaned softly and gave her a sly look.

"I am. I'll grab our coats and meet you out front?" She nodded and headed towards the door. Rick took a moment to admire the view of her walking away, but her admonishing look that she threw over her shoulder had him moving towards the coat check quickly. He had a feeling that his night was far from over...

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__Kate stood outside the event hall, her arms wrapped around herself and shivered lightly against the cool wind that blew over the Texas planes. She couldn't believe that Ryan was gone. Sure, she'd only known him for a little over a month, but the man had become like family to her. He greeted her every morning with a smile and something sweet to say about her attire for the day. She couldn't imagine what Esposito was going through.

She glanced down at the engagement ring on her hand and thought about what it would be like to lose Rick. He had already taken such an essential part in her life. She couldn't even imagine what the pain of living without him would be like, and of course now she had the added pressure of carrying their child. That had been such a shock, and if she was being honest with herself, she didn't think that the weight of the situation had fully sunk in. Being pregnant and engaged (sort of) to a man that she'd met so recently wasn't something that she would normally do, but Richard Castle seemed to bring out a rebellious and reckless side that she had thought she'd buried after dating the grunge rocker in high school.

He was like no other man that she'd ever been with. Every time they made love it was like he worshipped her body as if was the saving grace that was going to revive him. And his daughter...oh, his daughter. The child was the most beautiful little girl that Kate had ever met, and she loved her completely. That little red head had stormed into her life faster than her father had, but Kate couldn't imagine a better child.

She jumped slightly when her jacket fell around her shoulders, sheltering her from the cool air. His arms wrapped around her waist and settled his chin into the crook of her neck, his fingers brushing lovingly over her stomach, and she felt her heart flutter anxiously. She had noticed herself rubbing circles over her belly button subconciously since she had read the word 'positive' on that pregnancy test. She was going to have a baby. They were going to be parents.

"The car is on its way, babe." He murmured, his lips skating over the shell of her ear. She hummed contentedly in response, closing her eyes and leaning her head against his.

If there was one thing that Kate was sure of about the whole situation that they had gotten themselves into, it was that she was sure she was in for the ride of her life.

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	16. Chapter 16: Good Ride Cowboy, Good Ride

_**Disclaimer: Castle and all of its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC.**_

_** So, here's my dilemma lovely readers; I have been bobbling back and forth between trying to decided whether I want to end this story soon or keep it going. The thing that I have been leaning towards more recently is continuing to write this fic, but simply emailing it to anyone who is still interested because I am feeling like most of you have lost interest. So, drop me a review, DM me a line, what have you, just let me know what your thoughts about this dilemma are. You guys are the greatest.**_

_** Playlist for this chapter: **_

_** "Buried Alive" by Avenged Sevenfold**_

_** "The Day Before You" by Rascal Flatts**_

_** "What's Left of the Flag" by Flogging Molly**_

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__"Ladies and gentlemen, please remove your hats, and stand. We are requesting a moment of silence for a brother that we lost. Kevin Ryan, was a young man in the prime of his life. Let his death be a reminder to every one of us that if we do not respect the beasts that we deal with every night, they may very well turn on us when we least expect it." The arena fell into a silence that shook Esposito to his very core. Even the monsterous bulls that were corralled behind him seemed to silence themselves. He felt tears welling behind his closed eyelids as he swayed gently in the center of the arena, his Stetson placed over his heart.

The bullriders and their gate men were arranged in a large circle, their arms linked at the elbows. One of them, somewhere to the left of Javier, began humming a sound that sounded suspiciously like "Amazing Grace". Esposito felt a warming flow through his body, and for a brief moment in time he could have sworn that he felt Ryan's arms around him, wrapping him in a desperate hug. The humming got louder as a couple of the other riders joined in, all of them laying their hats across their hearts and upturning their closed eyes.

Soon the entire circle of cowboys, save for Esposito, was singing loudly.

'_Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found. T'was blind, but now I see.'_

The echo of the voices of the men around him seeped into his ears like honey. A smile graced his features slowly, allowing himself to join in and finish the final chorus with them. As soon as the final word was sung, the audience broke into a roaring cheer.

"And now, I'd like to welcome you all to the final night of the Professional Bull Riders National Finals rodeo!" The announcer bellowed, and the riders began dispersing, clapping Esposito on the back and offering their condolenses as they went. He took everything in stride, not quite allowing it to sink in, staying strong in the face of the press. He felt Rick's hand land on his back and smiled, turning to face his boss.

"Hey, Sarge." He said just loud enough for Rick to hear him over the loudness of the crowd.

"Hey, Espo. How are you doing?" He asked, pulling his hat down tighter over his eyes, and adjusting his jeans.

"I'm okay. Doing better than I have been. You ready to do this thing, Castle?" Esposito asked, shifting the conversation to a topic that he was slightly more well-equipped to deal with.

"I guess so. I'm a little nervous." He replied, walking towards the chutes. "But I think we'll be okay." He smiled at the other man, and Esposito knew that he wasn't just talking about the ride. He knew that Rick was right. They'd be okay.

The men swung themselves over the fence and dropped down into the area behind Rick's chute, dust puffing from beneath their boots. Kate, Martha and Alexis were just walking into the chutes when they hit the ground. Esposito smiled as Kate wrapped her arms around Rick's neck and his settled around her waist. He placed a chaste kiss to her lips before pulling back and smiling at the woman who was a good half foot shorter than he was.

Esposito was truly happy to see his best friend so completely happy, but that didn't get rid of the sting that burned through his chest at the sight of them being all domesticated. Kate lifted Alexis onto her hip so that the little girl could give Rick and kiss and then planted her back on the ground. The firey red head skipped over to him and jumped into his open arms, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as best she could.

"Hey there, little one. You ready to watch Daddy ride?" Esposito smiled, pressing a kiss to Alexis' forehead.

"Tio?" She whispered, her voice soft as it entered his ears.

"What's wrong, Lex?" A streak of worry furrowed in his brow at the point between his eyes.

"I'm sorry that Uncle Kevin isn't here anymore." She placed her tiny hand against his cheek, thumbing away the tear that spilled over, hot against his skin. Esposito tugged the small girl into a tight hug, burying his nose into her hair and allowing a couple more tears to fall into her cinnamon locks.

"Thank you, Alexis." He murmured, smiling at the feeling of her tiny fingers rubbing soothing circles on his back. "Your uncle Ryan would be so proud of you." He settled the girl on the ground, and she squeezed his hand once more before running back to wind her hand into Kate's where she was talking to Rick.

"Alright, folks, let's get this show on the road. Our first rider tonight also happens to be the man that has been stopping the show since he set foot on the Vegas soil. Rick Castle is the front runner in this competition and as long as he gets a good ride tonight, he will have that gold buckle all locked up." The announce spoke to the crowd and Esposito watched a small smirk fall across Rick's face. He kissed Martha, Alexis and Kate before climbing up onto the chute and settled onto the brindle bull that had just been loaded into the chute.

He gripped the rope, smoothing the resin on his hands over it. Esposito helped him tie the rope in a suicide wrap over his hand. He beat the rope roughly, working the braid of it into the curve of his hand. When he finally settled, he tugged his hat down once again and then locked eyes with Esposito.

"I'm riding for him, you know. I told everyone that. I don't give a good God damned if I win or lose tonight, Espo. This one's for Kevin." He extended his free hand in front of Esposito. The two men did the handshake that the three of them had created so many years ago that they fondly referred to as 'feed the birds' and Esposito stepped back away from the chute.

"Knock 'em dead, Sarge." He smiled. Rick returned the grin and nodded to the gate boys. The chute opened and the bull erupted like a ton of dynamite into the arena.

Rick tightened his hold with his legs, his biceps flexing with the force the bull was throwing towards him. The bull bellowed as he kicked and turned like no other bull that any of the hands had ever seen before. Long strands of saliva flew from his mouth, the bull's agitation rising with every passing second. But, no matter how hard the beast tried to throw him, Rick remained seated firmly in the middle of the animal's back. The buzzer echoed over the hushed crowd, causing them to erupt into cheers again.

In the chutes Kate felt her heart drop as she noticed Rick remaining on the bull after the buzzer had stopped echoing.

"What's the matter? Is he hung up?" She gasped, grasping Esposito's arm. The man didn't look at her, he simple covered her hand with his and stared at the man that had done so much for him whipping around on a manic beast.

"No. He's riding for Ryan now." He whispered.

"He's already passed that eight second mark, the judges score is a 98.2! That's enough to give him the gold buckle. He's dedicating this ride to his fallen brother, and he's going to get the most out of it. Kevin Ryan, this one's for you!" The announcer's voice shattered the silence.

Rick rode for a few more seconds before removing his head and waving it about above his head. Esposito felt the tears streaming down his face as he watched Rick dismount from the bull. The clowns hearded him into the exit chute and Rick howled, throwing his hat into the air and holding his arms above his head. He waved to the crowd, tears spilling from his eyes onto the maroon button down rodeo shirt that he wore. He pressed two fingers against his lips, touched them to his heart, and pointed both his index fingers skyward before blowing a kiss to his girls. When his eyes met Esposito's, the men both gave each other a subtle nod, pressed a closed fist against their hearts, and shot each other a wink.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you are looking at your new National champion, Richard Castle! He's done it again, folks!" The announcer was more excited than any of them had ever heard, and they could have sworn that they heard a choke of emotion in his voice.

Somewhere, high above the clouds over Las Vegas, Kevin Ryan was hooting and hollering as he watched the scene below.

"Good ride, cowboy." He smirked. That night a soft, warm rain fell over Vegas as the riders made their way to the local western bar, and Esposito knew that Kevin Ryan would always be with them. Cause that's what love was. They'd be together until the wheels fall off.

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	17. Chapter 17 They call the thing rodeo

_**So, as I'm sure most of you know, it's been a long time since I updated. I had to do a lot of searching to find where I wanted to go with this. **_

_** And, as much as it pains me to say this, this is going to be the final chapter. I have grown such an emotional attachment to this story that it actually is very sad for me to see it end, but I didn't want to drag it out. Anywho, without further procrastination, I give to you all the final chapter of Rodeo. **_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and all of its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC. "Rodeo" belongs to the legendary Garth Brooks.**_

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_** His eyes are cold and restless, his wounds have almost healed. **_

_** And she'd give half of Texas just to change the way he feels.**_

_** She knows his love's in Tulsa, she knows he's gonna go.**_

_** Well, it ain't no woman flesh and blood,**_

_** It's that damned old rodeo.**_

_** Well, it's the bulls and the blood,**_

_** It's the dust and the mud,**_

_** It's the roar of a Sunday crowd.**_

_** It's the white in his knuckles,**_

_** The gold in the buckle he'll win in the next go 'round.**_

_** It's the boots and the chaps,**_

_** It's cowboy hats,**_

_** It's spurs and latigo.**_

_** It's the ropes, and the reins,**_

_** And the joy, and the pain,**_

_** And they called the thing rodeo.**_

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__The sounds of the stadium always got his blood pumping. The thundering of the music, the stomping of the crowd's feet, the sounds of the bulls jumping in the chutes. He inhaled the sent of the dirt beneath his boots as he walked through the back of the bucking chutes. Lots of the other cowboys around him clapped him on the back as he walked.

"Good luck, Castle." One of his older friends smiled, pulling his hat down over his eyes teasingly. He chuckled and shot the man a smile.

"Thanks, Reggie." Castle replied, shifting his hat back into place. He continued down the back of the bucking chutes until her reached the chute labeled "7" and threw his hand wrap over the gate. "Hey, Esposito." He greeted the slightly smaller man with a nod and a small wave.

"You ready to do this, boss?" Esposito responded. "Big ride, you know?" He nodded toward the banner that read _PBR World Finals_.

"Yeah, last night in Vegas. Big leagues, right?" He chuckled, hooking his thumbs in his belt loops. Esposito laughed to himself as he hefted a saddle onto a bail of hay.

"Ain't like it's the first time you've been here, Hoss." He replied. He reached up and subconciously touched the watch on his wrist. He always missed Ryan more when they were on the circuit. "Don't get yourself all worked up about it, Castle. Just breathe. We'll do it just like we did every other time. Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I know." He took in a stuttering breath, jumping slightly at the sound of the announcer's voice.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to the Professional Bull Riders World Finals!" The crowd roared loudly. Castle took a deep breath, adjusted his hat once more, and shook out the kinks in his shoulders. The announcer trailed on about the agenda for the evening, and introduced him. "And Mister Castle will be riding his last round of the finals on a bull that is konwn all too well by the Castle family. If y'all recall, One-Eyed Jack is the very bull that ended the life of Kevin Ryan, their long time friend and ranch hand. Let's have a moment of silence in his memory." The crowd fell silent and the cowboys all removed their hats in reverence. Castle and Esposito stood side by side, their shoulders brushing as the both placed their hats over their hearts. Esposito out lined a cross on his chest before whispering '_Via con dios, mi amore'_. The announcer replaced his hat before continuing. "Let's get the ride started!"

Castle climbed into the chute, where the bull stared back at him menacingly. He wrapped the rope in a suicide wrap around his left hand, settled onto the bull's back, scooting forward so that he had a good seat on him, and adjusted his hat.

"Remember, Castle, you can do this. You got it, bro." Esposito clapped him on the back and Castle gave him a quick nod and grin.

"Okay, boys. Okay, boys!" He barked, nodding his head erratically. The chute men opened the gate and the bull exploded into the arena, turning wildly. Drool flew from his mouth as he grunted and growled beneath Castle. He tightened his legs around the bull's back and shifted to maintain his position. The bull whipped around again, but he kept his seat. The dirt puffed up under the bull's hooves as the buzzer hit eight seconds. Esposito's breath caught in his throat as he waited for the man to dismount.

Leather boots hit the ground solidly, and blue eyes remained trained on the bull until the rodeo clowns herded him into the gate. Once they had it closed, the announcer keyed back in on the P.A. system.

"Folks, the scores just came in from the judges, and it seems we're looking at the first perfect score of the finals!" The crowd went wild and the young man in the center of the ring howled in excitement, throwing his hat skyward and lifting his hands to wave at the crowd.

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_** She does her best to hold him when his love comes to call,**_

_** But his need for it controls him and her back's against the wall.**_

_** And it's 'so long, girl, I'll see you.' when it's time for him to go.**_

_** You know the woman wants her cowboy like he wants his rodeo.**_

_** Well, it's the bulls and the blood,**_

_** It's the dust and the mud,**_

_** It's the roar of a Sunday crowd.**_

_** It's the white in his knuckles,**_

_** The gold in the buckle he'll win in the next go 'round.**_

_** It's the boots and the chaps,**_

_** It's cowboy hats,**_

_** It's spurs and latigo.**_

_** It's the ropes, and the reins,**_

_** And the joy, and the pain,**_

_** And they called the thing rodeo.**_

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Castle glanced to where Esposito stood, leaning on the gate and waved to his uncle. Esposito smiled in return, removing his hat and slicking back his hair which had been tinged with streaks of gray over the years, and sighed to himself. Beside him, Rick, Kate, and Lanie sidled up. Lanie threw her arm around him and kissed his cheek.

"You did good teaching that boy, baby." She smiled. Eposito nodded slowly, squeezing his best friend's hand that was resting on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Chica. It means the world." He turned his attention to where Rick stood, beaming at his son. "He did good, boss."

"Yeah, well, his uncle was quite the instructor." Rick smiled, running his hand over Kate's stomach. She had found out that she and her husband were expecting their second child with in the next couple months, and the couple couldn't be happier. A flash of red hair caught his eye as Alexis streaked by them and burst into the arena to hug her baby brother.

"I'm so proud of you!" She squealed as he pulled her into a tight hug, twirling her in a circle.

"Thank you, Lex. Is Esposito happy?" He asked, his blue eyes searching hers for confirmation. Alexis simply laughed at her brother and smoothed a hand over his freckled face.

"He's ecstatic. You should go talk to him yourself." She nudged him towards the bucking chute and he hugged her one last time before bolting over to climb the gate. He hit the ground and was immediately enveloped in a hug by Kate and Lanie.

"We're so proud of you, honey!" Kate squealed, ruffling her son's hair. He scowled playfully at her and smooth the unruly locks of espresso colored hair back into place.

"Come on, Ma, you know I gotta pose for the cameras. Gotta look my best." He shot her a wink and adjusted his collar sarcastically. "What'd you think, pop?" He asked, turning his attention to Rick.

"I couldn't have done it better myself." He beamed, the corners of his eyes crinkling with the smile. They'd all aged some, but Rick never missed an oppourtunity to point out that he was looking the least weather worn of the bunch. His thick hair was still a pure streak of chocolate, not a gray hair to be found.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the judges have tallied up this weekend's rides, and I want you to put your hands together for our new bull riding champion of the world..." He paused for dramatic effect, and the hush that fell over the arena was deafening. "Kevin Castle!" The group of people around him went crazy as Kevin Ryan Castle simply stared at his picture on the jumbotron in disbelief.

"Your Uncle Kevin would have been proud, you know?" Esposito whispered as he pulled the boy into a hug.

"I know, tio. I know." Kevin patted him on the back before pulling away slightly. "But you and I know damned good and well he's watching us right now. Probably catching hell from God for making a damned ruckus up there." Esposito laughed loudly, but a tear still formed in his eye as he looked at the young man that had helped to rebuild his broken soul.

"I'm so proud of you, kid." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. Kevin smiled back at him before being whisked away to speak with the press that were waiting on him. Rick took his place effortlessly, resting a hand on Esposito's shoulder.

"You handled that well." His voice was low and caring.

"You think?" Esposito sniffed and wiped away the stubborn tear. "Cause you did a damned sight better job than I did."

"Espo, listen. I know that you miss Kevin, hell we all do, but you've still got all of us. We're you're family. That means that we're not going anywhere. We're here until the bitter end, amigo, whether you want us to be or not. You're never alone, Javier." Rick smiled, his blue eyes laden with warmth.

"Thanks, boss." In those two words he'd spoken more than he would ever know.

"Always, bro. It's what family is for." Rick smirked, clapping him on the back. "So, we know my boy can handle ol' Jack. Now, let's go see how he handles the media vultures." The men strode towards the congregation of journalists and settled in to watch Kevin's speech.

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_** It'll drive a cowboy crazy, it'll drive a man insane.**_

_** He'll sell off everything he owns just to pay to play her game.**_

_** And a broken home, and some broken bones is all he'll have to show,**_

_** For all the years that he spent chasing this dream they call rodeo.**_

_** Well, it's the bulls and the blood,**_

_** It's the dust and the mud,**_

_** It's the roar of a Sunday crowd.**_

_** It's the white in his knuckles,**_

_** The gold in the buckle he'll win in the next go 'round.**_

_** It's the boots and the chaps,**_

_** It's cowboy hats,**_

_** It's spurs and latigo.**_

_** It's the ropes, and the reins,**_

_** And the joy, and the pain,**_

_** And they called the thing rodeo.**_

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__"Mister Castle, how do you think you did out there tonight compared to the competition?"

"Well," Kevin started, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. "I think that, in this sport, there is no 'compared to the competition'. Sure, we're all riding for the same money, and we are all competing with each other. But, bull riding ain't just about the money." The reporters simply stared at him, confused. "It's about the love of it. It's about going out there every night and knowing, not thinking, _knowing_ that you are the best thing to ever step onto that dirt. It's about squaring off with a two-ton beast in that chute, and actually being able to win. But it's also about knowing that just as quickly as you have it, it can be ripped from under you. My Uncle Kevin is a good example. His death, and bull riding remind us every day that we aren't out here to compete. We're out here to do what we love, and if we can make it through the day with our heart beating and our bones more or less in tact, then we're going alright." Some of the reporters chuckled. "So, to answer the question, I don't think I did any better than anyone else out there. I came out, lived my life the way I want to, and did what I love. That's why I won. No other reason." The reporters stared at him in stunned silence.

"So, you mean to say that you don't do this for the money at all?"

"You kiddin' me? Hell no. It's something I love. I ride each one of my rides like it could be my last. That's all a man can hope for. That's how Kevin Ryan lived his life, that's how my father and Javier Esposito still live. No holding back, no regrets, and no fear. You'd all be wise to follow their lead. No more questions please." He stood and made his way through the crowd of reporters to where his family was seated and sat beside them.

"That was well said, son." Rick said after a few moments of silence, his voice taught with emotion.

"Well, you know that my mom always said my daddy had a way with words." Kevin winked at him. "Maybe it's genetic." The men burst out laughing. "Hell, who knows, maybe I'll give up this rough and tumble life of bull riding and become an author." Kevin continued when he caught his breath. Esposito chuckled to himself, shaking his head slightly, and looked at Rick.

"Now, wouldn't that be something, boss? One kid's a cop," He hooked a thumb towards Alexis who had graduated the police academy a week prior. "And one's an author. Ain't that just the strangest damned combination of people you ever heard?" Rick laughed and couldn't help but nodded in agreement.

His family had always been rather scattered and strange, and if he was being honest they probably always would be. But he had a beautiful wife, two-point-five children, the best friends in the world, a dog, and an extraordinary ranch. What more could a man ask for? Oh, yeah, and who could forget the vice he kept for when all of that seemed like it wasn't enough? No matter what he did, or how hard anyone tried, they would never take the rodeo from him. Ever.

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_** It's the broncs and the blood,**_

_** It's the steers and the mud,**_

_** And they called the thing rodeo...**_

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_** Thank you all so much for reading, you've been the greatest readers that anyone could ever ask for. I love you guys. I can't think of much else to say other than I hope to see you folks around in all of my other fics and I hope you enjoyed this wild, crazy, rough and tumble, erratic and insane journey as much as I have. Stay shiny, y'all. Much love, J.R.**_


	18. Chapter 18: Alternate Ending

___**Surprise! This is the alternate ending to Rodeo. *grins devilishly* This is going to be the total opposite of the actual ending, so for those of you that don't want to read something not fluffy, turn around now. You have been warned. *waits patiently* They gone? Good, now I can continue with the melancholy ending that I think some of you were (secretly) waiting to see from me. **_

_** Disclaimer: Castle and all of its characters belong to ABC and Andrew W. Marlowe. The songs on the playlist belongs to their respective owners.**_

_** Playlist for this chapter:**_

_** "These Days" by Rascal Flatts**_

_** "**_

_** "Nothing" by The Script**_

__**Six Years Later...**

** December 17**

** Clancy, Montana**

The cold wind that whipped across the bitter plains of Montana bit through Rick's jacket fiercly as he strode from the ranch to the truck. Slamming the driver's door behind him, he took a moment to collect his thoughts, removing his hat and setting it in the passanger's seat. He let his tousled head fall against the headrest, his tired eyes falling shut.

Esposito jogged hurriedly across the driveway and jumped into the cab of the truck, shaking the snow from his short hair.

"Damn, Sarge, that snow is sure blowin' somethin' fierce." He sighed, shivering slightly. Rick chuckled humorlessly, settling his hat back on his head and pulling onto the dirt road into town.

"That tends to happen when it's winter time in Montana." Castle replied, shooting a sideways glance at Esposito. The other man barked a laugh and nodded slowly.

"That is a damned good point." Esposito lit the cigarette that was dangling from his lips and cracked the window, the smoke escaping into the frosty air easily. Castle stared out the windshield silently, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel. He sucked in a shaky breath, watching the forest rushing past them on the side of the road. The men rode in companionable silence for the better part of the ride, the scratchy sound of Willie Nelson purring through the speakers.

Esposito's breath caught as he attempted to speak, the words that he needed evading him. Castle glanced over at him again, pulling his hat down further over his eyes.

"Say what you've got to say, Javier." Esposito shot him a confused glance, taking another drag off the cigarette. "Don't give me that look, Espo. I know when you've got something on your mind. Stop skating around, and just come out with it." Esposito sucked in a breath as they pulled into the parking lot of the hardware store. Castle turned to look at him a moment before hopping out of the cab and striding towards the doors. Esposito's boots puffed up snow when they hit the ground.

"Castle! Wait!" He called, but the other man did not stop. He pushed open the doors to the hardware store and stepped inside, removing his hat as he did so. He went to say his 'hello's to Norm, who usually ran the cash register, and his dog Simon, but froze when he didn't find the old man behind the counter. Instead, he was greeted with a small brunette, with fiery eyes staring back at him. His heart nearly stopped when he saw her, the blood draining from his face. She stared back at him wordlessly, her jaw slackening at the sight of him.

"Kate..." He breathed, his hands clenching at his sides. She looked just as beautiful as he remembered, the day that she walked back onto that plane to New York. His heart pounded when she came around the counter and pulled him into a silent hug. Her arms wrapped around his waist tightly, pulling him into her, Castle's arms shakily tightening aroud her shoulders.

"You've lost weight, Rick. Are you taking care of yourself?" She mumbled into his chest. Castle chuckled into her hair.

"As best I can. Esposito looks out for me, you know how he is." Kate returned his laugh as she released him and moved to hug the other man. Esposito caught Rick's glare and shrugged, mouthing 'I tried to tell you'. When Kate released him, Esposito scurried off to get the supplies that they needed, leaving the two of them standing together. Castled rubbed the back of his head nervously before he spoke.

"So...you're living in Montana now?" He muttered, not making eye contact.

"Yeah, Ryan's starting school this year, and I figured that New York wasn't really that great of a place to raise a kid." She shrugged. His eyes snapped up to hers, a tear forming in his own.

"Ryan?" He whispered, his voice cracking. Kate nodded, pulling a photo of a young, brown haired boy with deep sea blue eyes and cheeks peppered with freckles up on her phone, extending it to him. Castle's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the younger version of himself, touching the boy's face on the screen gently. The calloused pads of his finger against the cool glass of the screen was nothing like he imagined touching his son's face would be like. "He's beautiful, Kate." He said, his eyes moving to lock with hers again. "You did good."

"It takes two to tango, remember?" She smirked, her hand on his shoulder as she pocketed the phone again. "_We_ did good, Rick." Castle nodded slowly, a smile spreading across his face.

"How've you been?"

"Good, good. I... I meant to call you earlier. You know, when Ryan was born and all that, things just got confusing and busy. I'm sorry." Castle waved his hand at her in an attempted to be convincing.

"No, I understand that. Don't apologize. How...how is he?"

"He's amazing, Rick. He's a lot like you. Smart, funny, independent. Stubborn as hell." She laughed quietly at the smirk that graced his features.

"He sounds like an amazing kid."  
>"He is. Would..." She paused a moment, her hand nervously toying with the edge of her shirt. "Would you like to meet him?" Rick's heart stopped as he nodded slowly. Kate held up a finger, indicating for him to wait a moment before going into the break room behind the counter. A minute later she emerged again, a tiny hand locked on hers. Blue eyes peeked out at Rick from behind Kate's leg and he sank to his knees, getting on the same level as Ryan.<p>

"Hey, Ryan." He whispered, his voice breaking. The little boy walked out from behind Kate's leg shyly, waving at Rick in a tiny gesture. Castle chuckled and looked up at Kate, who bent to whisper in Ryan's ear.

"Ryan, this is your daddy, Rick." Ryan glanced up at her a moment, a smile spreading across his face before the boy flung himself into Rick's arms. Castle felt a tear slide off the end of his nose as he buried his face into Ryan's neck, holding him tightly. His eyes caught Kate's again as his son tightened his grip around his neck.

"Hi, Daddy." The little voice murmured into his ear. Rick smiled as he pulled back, smoothed an unruly strand of hair from the boy's head and brushed a thumb over his cheek.

"Hey, Ryan." He whispered. The boy smiled before kissing him on the cheek and scurrying back into the break room. Castle stood slowly, his hands sliding into his pockets. Esposito rejoined him silently, a plastic bag of supplies in his hand. "He's...yeah...we've got to get going. The number is still the same you know." He smiled, moving towards the door. Kate wrapped her arms around herself as she watched him walk out.

"Rick?" She called, just before the door shut. He poked his head back in curiously. "Do you think...maybe we could go out and grab a coffee sometime?" Castle smiled at her and nodded slowly.

"Of course, Kate. Give me a call." He replied quietly, his voice full of warmth.

"I missed you." She whispered, her eyes searching his. His grin turned into a full smile that reached his eyes.

"I missed you too." He replied. Kate turned to walk away, but his voice stopped her. "Oh, and Kate?"

"Yes?"

"When I said 'always' I meant it. I never stopped loving you. Or Ryan." Kate felt a tear in her eye as he ducked out into the unforgiving winter storm. She nodded slowly, barely noticing the tiny hands tugging on her pant leg as she whispered to the spot that he had occupied.

"I love you, too."

_**So, there you have it folks. The alternate ending to Rodeo. Love it? Hate it? Let me know. You can also follow me on twitter at Lyoung_09 **_

_** Much love, J.R.**_


	19. Alternate Beginning

_**Disclaimer: Castle and all of its characters belong to Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC Productions. "I Don't Want This Night to End" belongs to Luke Bryan.**_

_** So, the idea for this AU is actually what was supposed to be the original beginning to "Rodeo"...SURPRISE, RODEO FANS! Woot! It's like a DVD extra :) This is also because I haven't written any smut in...good Lord, forever. So, I'm hoping that you guys enjoy this. You guys are the best, I love you guys!**_

**Girl, I know I don't know you, but your pretty little eyes so blue**

**Are pulling me in, like the moon on your skin.**

**I'm so glad you trusted me to slide up on this dusty seat**

**And let your hair down, and get out of town.**

**Got the stars coming out over my hood, and I'll I know now is its going good.**

**You got your hands up, you're rockin' in my truck,**

**You got the radio on, you're singing every song.**

**I'm set on cruise control, I'm slowly losing hope of everything I've got,**

**You're lookin' so damned hot. **

**And I don't know what road we're on or where we been, from staring at you,**

**Girl, all I know is I don't want this night to end.**

Kate Beckett stepped onto the dusty runway from the small airplane, and a grimace spread across her face. She had never really been one for...outdoors, so when the magazine had sent her to the Professional Bull Riding championship to interview the champion from the previous year, she had almost thrown up on the spot.

She glanced around the airport and headed towards the terminal to meet her driver. Kate hefted the bag onto her shoulder and stepped into the small terminal. There were almost no people in the tiny airport and she sighed, having a niggling feeling that she was about as far from civilization as she was ever going to get.

A quick survey of the loading zone in the front of the airport yielded nothing in the way of locating her driver, so she let out an agitated sigh and headed to the rinky dink bar in the far corner. As she approached, she noticed a man sitting at the far end, his black felt hat pulled tightly down over his eyes. His shoulders were hunched underneath the denim and sheepskin jacket, and he leaned over the glass of, what looked like, whiskey in front of him.

A light sprinkle of stubble coated his jaw as if he hadn't gotten around to shaving in a couple days, and his blue eyes were so dull that they almost looked grey. Kate shuffled over and settled onto the barstool next to him.

He shot her a covert glance, downed the rest of the glass in front of him and motioned for the baby faced bartender to bring him another.

"You don't look like you're from around here." He drawled, tilting his head to stare directly at her. He was handsome. There was no way around that fact. But there was something else about him, something...familiar, that had heat arrowing straight to her groin. Perhaps, she mused, it was the idea of a _real_, down home, rugged, man after having spent her life rubbing elbows with New York's feminised male population. Her eyes roamed the rest of him, taking in the tattered blue jeans that formed perfectly to show his...assets, and the scuffed, scarred cowboy boots.

"Is that something you picked up watching old John Wayne movies?" She retorted easily, a satsified smirk settling over her face at the sound of him chuckling.

"Well, now there's something you don't see everyday." He smiled, tipping his hat sarcastically. "A woman who's beautiful and funny. Usually you get one or the other. You are quite the limited edition aren't you Miss..." He drew out the end of his statement, waiting for him to supply her with a name.

"Beckett. I'm Kate Beckett." She extended her hand and he clasped it in his calloused grip, shaking it lightly, but not letting go of it, his thumb brushing across her pulse point in a delicious blend of friction and electricity.

"Rick Castle, pleased to meet you, Miss Beckett."

"You can call me, Kate." She replied, motioning for the bartender to bring her a beer.

"Damn, Kate, look at you. Woman that put me in line, drinking beer. I'm impressed." He gave her another devilish smirk and then turned his gaze into the bottom of his glass. "So, what brings you to my neck of the woods?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Business. I'm doing some interview work for the magazine I work for. What about you? What brings you to this fine little airport bar?"

"Are you kidding me? This is where I spend my Friday nights." He deadpanned. It was only when an award winning smile broke his face that she realized he was kidding. "I am actually here to pick up someone from some sports magazine as a favor to a friend." He held up a flimsy, carboard sign with the words '12th Precinct' scrawled messily in permanant marker on it.

"Well, I guess we're both in luck. I'm a reporter for the 12th, so I'm guessing that I'm the person you were supposed to be picking up." She replied, turning on the barstool so that their knees were brushing, a scorch of heat arrowing through both of them. Rick let out a low whistle and slid off his barstool, helping her to her feet as well, their chests close enough that she could feel the heat eminating from his body.

"I guess we better get going, huh? I don't want to hinder you from checking into your hotel," He leaned closer, his face centimeters from hers, and his warm breath washing over her, the faint scent of whiskey lingering in her nose.

"Yeah...you know how they're sticklers about check-in times." She stammered, trying to remember how to breathe properly. Rick dropped a few bills on the bar and led Kate out to the truck. They buckled quickly and Rick tore out of the parking garage, heading towards her hotel.

**Gonna cuss the morning when it comes, **

**'Cause I know that the rising sun ain't no good for me, **

**'Cause you'll have to leave. Gonna make the most of every mile,**

**Do everything to make your smile land on my lips, get drunk on your kiss.**

**Clock on the dash says 3:35, there's plenty of gas, and the night's still alive.**

**You got your hands up, you're rockin' in my truck,**

**You got the radio on, you're singing every song.**

**I'm set on cruise control, I'm slowly losing hope of everything I've got,**

**You're lookin' so damned hot. **

**And I don't know what road we're on or where we been, from staring at you,**

**Girl, all I know is I don't want this night to end.**

Kate barely had time to throw the door closed behind them before she was being pressed against the wall of her hotel room. Rick threw his hat haphazardly across the room and Kate immediately began running her fingers through his thick locks of chocolate silk hair. The kiss was deep and searing and more intense than anything Kate could remember experiencing. It made her knees go weak, and she thanked God that Rick had her pinned to the wall or she was certain she would have collapsed into a heap of limbs.

He peppered kisses down the curve of her jaw and into the hollow of her neck, his teeth biting the sensitive skin there hard enough to leave a mark that she was certain would be purple in the morning. A strangled gasp escaped her lips when his mouth attatched to her breast through the thin fabric of her shirt. Her hips bucked forward of their own volition, grinding against his prominent erection and dragging a moan from his chest.

Kate felt a steady throb beginning at the juncture of her thighs when he moved to slowly lift her shirt over her head. He placed soft, sensual kisses down the curve of her stomach, his tongue snaking out over the firmed skin. Rick wrapped his arms around her waist and walked blindly to the bed, his mouth reattaching itself to hers. His tongue swept through the caverns of her mouth, dueling playfully with her own as they battled for dominance.

Her back hit the comforter and she immediately arched into him, her hips rolling against his heatedly. Rick groaned her name as he palmed her breast, the thin fabric of her lace bra doing nothing to hide the hardened pebbles of her nipples. He growled and bit one of them roughly, shifting his jaw so that his teeth sawed lightly across her heated flesh.

Kate's nails drug viciously over his back, leaving tiny droplets of blood leaking to the surface in their wake. She knew that she was putty in his hands at that moment. She needed to retake control of the situation before she embarassed herself. She tore his shirt off, buttons skittering across the plush carpet of the overly expensive hotel room that the magazine had booked for her.

She flattened her palm against his chest before slipping it down and cupping him through his jeans. Rick's jaw dropped open and he let his forehead fall to the crook of her neck, his breathing stuttered and disconnected. Kate took advantage of his state of mind and flipped their positions, grabbing his hands and pinning them above his head so high that his knuckles brushed the head of the bed.

His blue eyes were electrified and confused as he watched her, his eyelids heavy. He pressed his hips forward subconciously when she drug his zipper down and slid his jeans off his legs. She smirked to herself when she found nothing else seperating her from her prize.

"I figured you to be the commando sort, Castle." She growled, nipping the skin around his manhood playfully, avoiding where he wanted her the most. His erection twitched in anticipation.

"God, woman, you're a dirty _tease_." He snarled, thrusting against her hands that pinned him to the bed. She gave a throaty chuckle before taking him fully into her mouth, his tip twitching against the back of her throat and a gasp tumbling out of him. He fisted his hands into her hair and pushed himself further into her mouth. Kate smirked around him and flattened her tongue on the underside of his shaft, running her lips up and down him until he was writhing and thrusting with abandon into her. She let her thumb brush over the sensitive skin behind the back of his balls and felt them jump in response. Her own desire had grown to a level that she hadn't been before.

She released him from her mouth with an illicit _pop_ and crawled up his body, shedding her own pants and panties as she did so, and laying against him, skin on skin. She let them both revel in the feeling before placing a kiss to his mouth, her tongue tasting salty and had the tang of himself on it, which only served to make him even harder. She moved higher until she was straddling his hips and sunk onto him, taking in every inch of his manhood into her. She felt him stretching every inch of her, completely filling her like she'd never experienced.

She gave herself a moment to adjust before thrusting against him, leaning down until her mouth was even with his ear. Her tongue flicked along his ear lobe, drawing a surprised squeak from him. She knew that neither of them would last very long, having already been pushed to their breaking point, so she quickened her thrusts and began clenching around him, milking his orgasm to the surface. Rick's stomach muscles convulsed as his eyes went hazy and he threw his head back against the pillow before exploding within her. Kate tumbled after him, collapsing onto his chest after thrusting through the aftershocks.

Rick waited for his breathing to level out before he slipped out of her and rolling onto his side, holding Kate tightly against him. She looked up into his face, concerned about the distant look in his eyes, but confused by the conflicted smile he wore.

"You okay?" She whispered, almost afraid that if she spoke too loudly it would spook him and he would run.

"Never better." He smiled and placed a kiss to her forehead.

"Do...do you need to go?" She asked quietly, averting her gaze and preparing for him to run. She'd been part of enough dirty one night stands to know how things worked. What she wasn't prepared for was him shaking his head and tucking her into his chest.

Kate opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't seem to find the words. She contemplated what she was going to say for what seemed like an eternity before looking up at him. She almost had to laugh when she found him snoring softly, his face buried in the pillow and his mouth slightly agape. Kate settled into his embrace, feeling oddly comfortable with a man that she'd just met, and let sleep overtake her. She would worry about work and the interviews that she had to conduct in the morning. That night, she intended to just _live_.

**You got your hands up, you're rockin' in my truck,**

**You got the radio on, you're singing every song.**

**I'm set on cruise control, I'm slowly losing hope of everything I've got,**

**You're lookin' so damned hot. **

**And I don't know what road we're on or where we been, from staring at you,**

**Girl, all I know is I don't want this night to end.**

_** Sooooo...thoughts? Drop me a review and let me know, guys! **_

_** Much love, J. Rook**_


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